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Deliciously Organic: A Chocolate Cake to Celebrate

Deliciously Organic

A blog devoted entirely to simple, wholesome, organic cooking.

Monday, November 2, 2009

A Chocolate Cake to Celebrate


After three years of cooking, testing recipes, writing, and sending out proposals; I'm elated to tell you that I have signed a book deal! My cookbook, Deliciously Organic, will be coming out in the fall of 2010! AND, as if it couldn't get any better, Helen from Tartelette will be doing the photography! I can't even tell you how thrilled I am to work with her.

To celebrate, I thought it fitting to whip up a chocolate cake with dreamy, light as air, chocolate frosting. The cake is moist, dense, full of rich chocolate, and topped with the dreamiest chocolate buttercream frosting.  It's the kind of cake you'll want to eat alone, so you can close your eyes and enjoy every little morsel.

Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Buttercream Frosting
Adapted from "The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook" by Ina Garten

2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
1 cup cocao powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
3/4 cup butter at room temperature
2/3 cup organic whole cane sugar or sucanat
2/3 cup muscovadosugar
2 large eggs, room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup sour cream
2 tablespoons brewed herbal coffee

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter two 9-inch cake pans and then dust with flour, knocking out any excess. In a medium bowl sift the flour, cocao, baking soda and salt. (There will be about 2 tablespoons of bran left in the sifter, discard.) In a small bowl mix together buttermilk, sour cream and herbal coffee. In bowl of mixer, with paddle attachment, cream the butter, whole cane sugar and muscovado. Start on low speed and then increase to high. Beat for about 5 minutes, until light. Add the eggs and vanilla and mix on low speed until just incorporated. Scrape down bowl. With mixer on low speed add a 1/3 of the buttermilk mixture followed by 1/3 of the flour mixture.  Repeat twice ending with the flour mixture. Mix until just incorporated. 

Pour batter into prepared pans and bake for 25 minutes, or until a cake tester comes out clean.  Cool on a cooling rack, for about 10 minutes, and then remove from pans and cool completely.

Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

8 ounces semisweet chocolate
4 large eggs
1 cup organic whole cane sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
pinch of sea salt
1 pound unsalted butter, softened, each stick cut into tablespoons

Melt chocolate over a double boiler and set aside to cool. In the bowl of a standing mixer, combine eggs, whole cane sugar, vanilla and pinch of salt. Set bowl over pot of simmering water. Whisk constantly until the mixture reaches 160 degrees, about 5 minutes. Beat egg mixture on medium-high with whisk attachment until light and billowy, about 5 minutes. Reduce the speed to medium and add butter one tablespoon at a time. When all of the butter is added turn off mixer and add chocolate. Whisk entire mixture for 1 minute on high until light and fluffy. 

To assemble:  Place one cake layer on cake stand and top with about 3/4 cup of icing.  Place second layer on top and front the top and sides.

34 Comments:

Blogger Gaby said...

LOOKS DELICIOUS! I could use a big piece of this for breakfast right about now :) That is so exciting about Helen too - you are going to have soooo much fun!!

November 2, 2009 at 10:45 AM  
Blogger El said...

I can't even begin to tell you how much I would like a piece of this light, fluffy chocolaty cake right now. And congratulations on your book. Helen is an outstanding choice. I can't wait to buy the book when it's done!

November 2, 2009 at 10:48 AM  
Blogger Sprouted Kitchen said...

what a gorgeous blog you have! so lovely! Cant wait to see the book as working with Helen will be amazing!

November 2, 2009 at 10:51 AM  
Blogger Helene said...

I can't wait to get started Carrie! It's going to be an awesome journey!

November 2, 2009 at 11:20 AM  
Blogger Jamie said...

So yummy looking! I am excited for you!! Congrats!!

November 2, 2009 at 11:57 AM  
Blogger Rebecca T said...

that is so exciting about your book! i'm going to buy a bunch and send them to you to sign. that cake looks AMAZING!!! i am trying to loose some weight right now so i'll wait to make it later...keep putting recipes on your blog. i love being able to try new things!!!

November 2, 2009 at 12:21 PM  
Anonymous Kristina said...

Congratulations! I can't wait to see the final product - I'm sure it will be fantastic!

November 2, 2009 at 12:27 PM  
Blogger Miriam said...

A good reason to celebrate, no doubt! Pass me a piece of that cake, please...

November 2, 2009 at 1:11 PM  
Anonymous Kelly said...

Congratulations! That has to be every blogger's dream. Sounds like it will be a blast.

November 2, 2009 at 1:31 PM  
Anonymous Kelly said...

Congratulations! That has to be every blogger's dream. Sounds like it will be a blast.

November 2, 2009 at 1:31 PM  
Anonymous Joy said...

I will take a slice (or three) of that anytime. Looks heavenly! Congratulations on your book and your collaboration with Helen! It's something a lot of us can look forward to. :)

November 2, 2009 at 2:41 PM  
Anonymous Michelle {Brown Eyed Baker} said...

CONGRATULATIONS!! What an exciting time for you, and what a delicious-looking cake! :)

November 2, 2009 at 4:10 PM  
Blogger monicajane said...

congratulations on the book...that's very exciting.

November 2, 2009 at 4:43 PM  
Blogger Kristen said...

Finally!!! Yeah!!! Way to go! So excited! Can't wait to have a copy...but, you already knew that, didn't you?!?!

November 2, 2009 at 5:12 PM  
Blogger Unknown said...

Oh I hope I can get mine autographed! VERY happy for you and I know all your readers are just so excited! It's like we get a look into your secret world of delicious cooking...

-jes

November 2, 2009 at 5:24 PM  
Blogger Kelly said...

Carrie that is soooooo exciting!!!! Congrats!!! Can't wait to see it!

November 2, 2009 at 9:22 PM  
Blogger Deborah said...

Congratulations!! And this cake looks like the perfect way to celebrate.

November 2, 2009 at 9:39 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I am so excited to find a whole wheat chocolate cake recipe but need some help. What is rapadura and muscovado. Is there something I can substitute if either is sugar? I have Splenda and agave syrup. Thanks so much for the recipe.

November 3, 2009 at 7:06 AM  
Blogger Deliciously Organic said...

Rapadura (also known as sucanat) is evaporated cane sugar that has been very minimally processed. You can find it at almost any health food stores. Also, if you search "rapadura" on the blog you will find a post on "Butterscotch brownies" where I wrote about it. Agave should work as a substitute in the frosting but probably won't do as well in the cake. Muscovado is a very dark brown sugar that has been minimally processed..that can also be found at most natural food stores. Let me know if you need any more help!

November 3, 2009 at 10:42 AM  
Blogger Elizabeth said...

Congratulations, Carrie! Also, it was great to see a smiling Pete in the AF Times!

November 3, 2009 at 5:18 PM  
Blogger Melissa said...

this cake looks amazing! Congratulations on your book deal! I'm excited for you =)

November 4, 2009 at 8:53 AM  
Blogger Adam and Joanne said...

Congratulations on your book, what wonderful news, you must be so excited!! The cake looks absolutely divine too, I wish I had a slice.

November 4, 2009 at 11:12 AM  
Blogger Unknown said...

I just made this last night! My sister must've stolen my round cake pans so I threw it into a bundt pan. I sooo wanted to do the frosting, but didn't know if it would work so well on a bundt, so just whipped up a chocolate ganache to drizzle over it. Yum, yum, yum! The cake is to die for! Can't wait to do your original version!

November 8, 2009 at 11:58 AM  
Anonymous Allison said...

Congrats from one (formerly) Dallas girl to another, that is SO exciting about your cookbook, I have been subscribing to your blog for a while now and love it, cant wait for the cookbook!!

November 12, 2009 at 8:48 AM  
Anonymous Heather said...

Congratulations on your book deal! I'm so excited for you and even more excited to get the first copy. Oh! and this cake looks delicious! Again, congratulations!!

November 12, 2009 at 7:28 PM  
Anonymous Corrine said...

This cake looks sensational! I am at work and I am basically drooling all over my keyboard. I might try to make these into cupcakes :)

November 13, 2009 at 8:46 AM  
Anonymous Corrine said...

Congratulations on your book! I will certainly recommend it to patients, friends, and family.

November 13, 2009 at 8:47 AM  
Blogger Ria Mathew said...

Congratulations!! And that cake looks fabulous!

January 1, 2010 at 5:34 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I am going to make your chocolate frosting on a cake for next weekend's goodbye party for a good friend. I have a trusty chocolate cake recipe, but I have never had a good frosting. Can't wait to try!

Hope you all are enjoying your family weekend. Sounds like a great time...

May 16, 2010 at 11:15 AM  
Blogger Unknown said...

I was wondering- how sweet is this cake? Since eating the Nourishing Traditions way, I found western sweets much to sweet for me. The sweetness level I desire is 'bittersweet' This cake seems to have a lot of sugar!

May 24, 2010 at 3:17 PM  
Blogger Deliciously Organic said...

Chad: I also eat the way Weston Price teaches and I personally don't think it is "too" sweet, but if you don't use sweeteners very often then you could add a bit less of the sugars. I would try going down to 1/2 a cup of each. The frosting balances this cake out nicely, doesn't overwhelm, and is nice and buttery. I'd love to know what you think if you try it! I hope that helps!

May 24, 2010 at 7:07 PM  
Blogger Unknown said...

Hi Carrie,

Thanks so much for getting back to me. I did make this cake! Phew, what a mission! I didn't have an electric mixer so had to do it all by hand. I really struggled to get the sugar and butter nice and light by hand. But it turned out okay- definately dense, but that's the style of the cake I take it : ) I reduced the sugar by 1/3cup and it was still plenty sweet. The frosting went a bit strange whilst whisking the butter in- it looked like it was all seperating out? When I added the chocolate in however it sort of fixed itself somehow! I used 70% cocoa chocolate. All in all the cake turned out beautiful! My partner loved it. I am storing it in the fridge which hardens the icing which is a shame! Thanks for this recipe! Will definately by making it again.

Kylie (on partners account!)

June 2, 2010 at 7:59 PM  
Blogger Deliciously Organic said...

Kylie: I laughed when you said you whipped the frosting by hand. You definitely got an arm workout! :) I've also found that the frosting looks like it's curdling and then it magically fixes itself. It's kinda fun to watch. I'm so glad you found all of the work worth the effort!

June 5, 2010 at 5:18 PM  
Blogger gfs said...

oh yum! I've a litre of buttermilk in my fridge I need to use and I think this will be perfect!

September 13, 2010 at 3:33 AM  

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