Easy Chocolate Cake

(With buttercream cocoa frosting. Height: 2 to 2.5 inch)

To see our previous version:click here!

Yield: 12 servings
 

Ingredients
1 + 1/2 cup (170 g) all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder (dutched/dark)
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 cup (220 g) sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla essence
3/4 cup (1.8 dl) milk
3/4 cup (170 g) melted butter
2 eggs

Ingredients for frosting

1 stick (1/2 cup) + 3 tablespoons (160 g) softened butter
3 cups (7.2 dl) powdered sugar or confectioner's sugar
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 to 5 tablespoons lukewarm milk

Method
1. Preheat oven to 350 deg F (Gas mark 4 or 180 deg C)
2. Grease a 9 inch (23 cm) cake tin.
3. Mix flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, sugar and vanilla essence in a bowl.
4. Melt the butter at low heat and add to the dry ingredients. Also add milk and eggs.
5. Mix everything together until smooth, either by hand or by using an electric mixer at
slow speed.
6. Transfer to bake tin and bake at 350 degrees until a wooden pick inserted in center
comes out clean, approximately 35 to 45 minutes.
7. After the cake has cooled, slice the cake through the middle to make two layers
(easier if the cake has been in the fridge).

Frosting
 1. Cream the softened butter with powdered sugar in a bowl. Add cocoa, vanilla and 4
tablespoons lukewarm milk, and mix until smooth. Do not over-mix. If necessary, add
some more milk.
2. Use one 1/3 of the frosting between the two layers, 1/3 on top, and the rest around the
cake.
3. This cake should have room temperature when served.

Variations
A. You may cut the top of the cake to make a flat surface before adding the frosting.
B. You may divide the batter in two and transfer to two bake tins. The baking time
would then be about 15-20 minutes
C. To make a tall cake, you may bake two cakes instead of slicing one into two layers
D. You may use tasteless vegetable oil for the cake instead of melted butter. If so, also
add 1/4 ts salt
E. Instead of vanilla extract, you may use an equivalent amount of freeze dried coffee
(Suggested by Carol, October 2008)
F. You may use ½ cup of freshly brewed coffee instead of milk or water to get mocca
flavor (Suggested by Noreen, January 2009)

Devil's Food Cake

Yield: 12 servings.

Ingredients
2 cups (440 g) sugar
½ cup + 2 tablespoons (140 g) butter, softened
3 eggs, separated
2 cups (220 g) all-purpose flour
7 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ cup boiling water
1 cup sour cream

Ingredients for frosting

3 cups (660 g) white sugar
1 cup water
¼ teaspoon cream of tartar (optional)
4 egg whites
1 pinch salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Method
1. Preheat oven to 350 deg F (Gas mark 4 or 180 deg C) and grease two 9 in (23 cm)
cake tins.
2. Put cocoa in small bowl; add boiling water and mix until smooth. Let cool.
3. Using an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar on medium speed for
approximately 5 minutes. Add egg yolks and mix well.
4. Sift in flour, baking powder and baking soda, add cocoa mixture, sour cream, and
vanilla extract and mix well.
5. Whisk egg whites until stiff and fold gently into the cake mixture. Divide into two
equal portions and transfer to the cake tins.
6. Bake at 350 degrees until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean,
approximately 40-50 minutes. Let the cakes cool.
7. Slice each cake through the middle to make altogether four layers; if necessary
remove the top of the cake by using a knife.
8. For the frosting, combine sugar and water in a saucepan. Cook until candy
thermometer reaches 242 degrees F (115 degrees C) or until a teaspoon of mixture
dropped into cold water forms a ball when removed from water. Add cream of tartar
and a pinch of salt to the egg white, and beat them until stiff. Add hot syrup in a slow
stream, beating constantly. Stir in vanilla. Use approximately one fifth of the frosting
between each layer of the cake, coat the cake with the remaining two fifths of the
frosting.
9. Cool the cake in the fridge. Place the cake at room temperature 1-2 hours before it is
served.

Variations
A. You may add one teaspoon of ground cinnamon to the cake mixture for a hint of
spice.
B. Instead of white frosting you may use either whipped cream or chocolate frosting
(made with chocolate, syrup, butter and coffee; double recipe).
Wilton Home : Decorating : Icing : Types of Icing

Types of Icing
Use the right icing for the job. Some icings work best for soft colors, others for brights.
Certain icings dry hard for decorating in advance. Consider flavor, texture, climate and other
factors when choosing.

Flavor/ Consisten Best Used Storage/ Special

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Tips on Colors
Color Tips
Wilton paste food color is concentrated, giving vivid or deep colors without changing
consistency. Add paste color to icing, in small amounts with a clean toothpick or spatula.

Deep colors: When making deep colors, such as black, brown, or red use Wilton paste food
colors in larger amounts than normal. It can take as much as 1 oz. paste food color per one
cup to obtain deep colors. Deep colors are recommended for accent colors only.

Darken and deepen: Colors deepen in buttercream icings upon setting; color icing 1-2 hours
before decorating. Colors fade slightly in royal, boiled or Color Flow icing as they set.

Fading colors: Sunlight or fluorescent light will cause some colors to fade. After the cake is
decorated, it is best to keep in a cool room and out of direct light.

Lemon juice: Sometimes lemon juice or cream of tartar will cause colors to change, i. e.
violet will become blue. If the recipe has one of these ingredients in it, omit it. In addition,
some water (from various geographical areas) tends to cause color changes. If buttercream
icing is made with water, use milk instead.

Bleeding: Usually, "bleeding" colors on a decorated cake is a result of improper storage. It is

not recommended to ice cakes while they are still frozen, as the cake needs to "breathe" while
it thaws. Allow the cake to defrost before icing to help prevent the colors from bleeding. An
air tight cover on cake stored at room temperature may encourage condensation to form
which can cause colors to bleed.

Stain removal: All deep colors in nature stain, like blueberries, but none of them are
harmful. Paste colors can stain teeth and skin; however, simply washing skin area with soap
and warm water will remove color. Bleach can be used on counter tops. Lukewarm water
should be used first to spot stained color. Rinse thoroughly, allow to dry. If color is still
visible use a commercial cleaner on garment, carpet, upholstery, etc. In the case of a color
that has Red 3 as an ingredient use an acid such as vinegar or lemon juice to soak stain first.
Proceed with lukewarm water and then allow to dry before using a commercial cleaner.

Notes About Wilton Paste Colors

Red

There are three different reds - Christmas Red, a blue-toned red; Red-Red, an orange toned
red; and Red-No Taste, a blue toned red.

It can take as much as 1 oz. of red paste color to one cup of icing to get a deep red.

When icing is colored deep red, a bitter aftertaste may be detected. Red No-Taste should be
used when a large portion of red coloring is used on the cake. Red No-Taste does not contain
red 3 which causes the bitter taste.

Green

Leaf Green is a brighter green with more yellow than Kelly Green. Both of these greens
require very little color, how much color added depends on the tone of the green you want.

Hot Pink

Rose paste color will obtain hot pink with good results. Rose Petal is a soft, muted rose color.
Pink is a traditional pastel with a slight yellow tone.

Blue

Royal Blue has a red tone. Sky Blue has a yellow tone.

Daffodil Yellow

Daffodil Yellow is an all natural food coloring and does not contain yellow #5. (Many people
are allergic to this). Daffodil Yellow currently contains alcohol which all other colors do not
have present.

Black

When white buttercream is tinted dark black, it also can have a bitter taste. Use dark
chocolate icing with a small amount of black color added.

Brown

Brown color occasionally has a green overtone to it. This usually occurs with the presence of
acid in the icing; lemon juice or cream of tartar. Omit the acid if tinting icing brown. Also
dissolving brown color in 1/4 teaspoon water before adding to icing will eliminate the green
tone.

White-White

White-white is used for lightening icing that has been colored too dark. Also use it for
making white buttercream made with butter or margarine.
Options

Option 1: Stiff Icing

Stiff icing is used for decorations such as flowers with upright petals, like roses, carnations
and sweet peas. Stiff icing also creates your figure piping and stringwork. If icing is not stiff
enough, flower petals will droop. If icing cracks when piped out, icing is probably too stiff.
Add light corn syrup to icing used for stringwork to give strings greater elasticity so they will
not break.

Option 2: Medium Icing

Medium icing is used for decorations such as stars, borders and flowers with flat petals. If the
icing is too stiff or too thin, you will not get the uniformity that characterizes these
decorations. Medium to thin icing is used for icing your cake. Add water or milk to your
icing recipe to achieve the correct consistency.

Option 3: Thin Icing

Thin icing is used for decorations such as printing and writing, vines and leaves. Leaves will
be pointier, vines will not break and writing will flow easily if you add 1-2 teaspoons light
corn syrup to each cup of icing.
The Coupler, and How It Works

Using a two-part device called a coupler lets you interchange several decorating tips without
changing the bag.

The two parts of the coupler are the base and the ring. The base fits inside the bag, then you
put the decorating tip of your choice over the portion of the coupler that sticks out of the bag.
When you screw the ring on, you've locked the decorating tip onto the coupler and bag.

Step 1: Marking the Bag

Remove ring from coupler base. Drop the coupler base, narrow end first, into the bag and
push it down as far as you can.

For Featherweight Bags: Using a pen or pencil, mark the spot on the outside where the
bottom screw thread (closest to tip) is outlined against the bag material.
For Disposable Bags: Mark a spot on the outside that is 1/4 inch BELOW the bottom screw
thread.

Step 2: Cutting the Bag

Push the coupler base up into the bag so that you can cut an opening at the mark.
Step 3: Position Coupler Base and Tip

Push the coupler base down through the opening. One thread should be showing. Place a
decorating tip over the part of the base extending from the bag.

Step 4: Lock Tip in Place

Put the ring over the tip and twist it on, locking the tip in place.

Filling the decorating bag

Step 1: Holding the bag

While holding the bag with one hand, fold down the top with the other hand to form a
generous cuff over your hand as shown.

Step 2: Filling the bag

With an angled spatula, fill the bag with approximately 1/2 cup of icing.

Note: It is important not to overfill the bag; otherwise, excess icing may squeeze out the
wrong end.
Step 3: Pull spatula out

Remove icing from the spatula by squeezing the bag with your thumb and fingers against the
spatula and pulling spatula out.

Step 4: Close the bag

Close the bag by unfolding the cuff and twisting the bag closed. This forces the icing down
into the bag.

"Burping" the bag: Make sure you release any air trapped in bag by squeezing some of the
icing out of the tip into the bowl. This is called "burping" the bag.

Holding The Bag

The angle of the bag to the work surface is only half the story of the bag position. The other
half is direction in which the back of the bag is pointed. Correct bag direction is easiest to
learn when you think of the back of the bag as the hour hand of a clock. When you hold the
bag with the tip in the center of the clock, you can sweep out a circle with the back end of the
bag. Pretend the circle you formed in the air is a clock face. The hours on the clock face
correspond to the direction you point the back end of the bag.
Steps:
Step 1: Trace Board

Trace your cake board onto the Fanci-foil, making the outline 3-4 in. larger than the board.

Step 2: Cut

Cut Fanci-foil along the outline.

Step 3: Create Tabs

Place your board, white side down, on top of your cut foil. Cut deep slits at several points
along foil edge, creating tabs of foil to wrap neatly around the board.

Step 4: Tape

Secure foil tabs to the board with tape.

Steps

Step 1 - Coat Board

Lightly coat board with piping gel to help the fondant stick to the foil.
Step 2 - Roll & Drape Fondant

Roll out fondant to desired size, 1/4 in. thick. Position over board using a rolling pin, draping
fondant over edge.

Step 3 - Smooth Top & Sides

Trim excess fondant from edges under bottom of board. Smooth top and sides with Easy-
Glide Smoother.

Steps

Step 1

Before decorating, place iced cake on a cake board or serving plate. Using a spatula, slide a
portion of the Tuk-N'-Ruffle under the cake, up to the stitched seam. The weight of the cake
will secure Tuk-N'-Ruffle in place.

Step 2

Continue sliding Tuk-N'-Ruffle under the cake, until you have gone around the entire cake.
Overlap ends one inch and cut.
Step 3

When decorating cake, decorate base first, then sides and top. (We recommend decorating
cakes on the Trim 'N Turn Cake Stand.)

Steps

Step 1

While holding the bag with one hand, fold down the top with the other hand to form a
generous cuff over your hand as shown.

Step 2

With an angled spatula, fill the bag with approximately 1/2 cup of icing.

Note: It is important not to overfill the bag; otherwise, excess icing may squeeze out the
wrong end.
Step 3

Remove icing from the spatula by squeezing the bag with your thumb and fingers against the
spatula and pulling spatula out.

Step 4

Close the bag by unfolding the cuff and twisting the bag closed. This forces the icing down
into the bag.

Step 5

Make sure you release any air trapped in bag by squeezing some of the icing out of the tip
into the bowl. This is called "burping" the bag.

Steps

Step 1

Trim a 16 in. Featherweight bag to fit tip 789. Fill bag half full with icing. Hold bag at 45°
angle and lightly press tip against cake. Squeeze a ribbon of icing in a continuous spiral
motion to cover cake top, with
last ribbon forcing icing over edge of cake top.
Step 2

To ice the sides, squeeze icing as you turn the cake slowly. Repeat the process until the entire
cake side is covered.

Step 3

Rotate the cake slightly and repeat the procedure, starting from a new point on the rim until
you have covered the entire top surface. Smooth the center of the cake by leveling the icing
with the edge of your spatula. For easier smoothing, it may help to dip the spatula into hot
water, wipe dry and glide it across the entire surface. Set the cake aside and allow the icing to
crust over for at least 15 minutes before decorating. At that point you may also lay Non-Stick
Parchment Paper on the iced cake top and gently smooth with the palm of your hand.

Steps

Step 1

Prepare cake by lightly covering with buttercream icing. Position fondant on cake, smoothing
the top with the Easy-Glide Smoother. Pull the corner flaps gently out and away from the
cake; smooth the corners with hand to eliminate the creases. Smooth sides with Smoother.
Step 2

Trim off excess fondant at bottom with a spatula or sharp knife.

Step 3

To give a finished look, smooth top, all sides and bottom edge of cake again with the
Smoother.