Recipe for cooking Chocolate Celebration Cake

Desserts to Go with Coffee and Tea :: Sheet Cakes and Layer Cakes

Chocolate Celebration Cake

This is purported to be very similar to P. F. Chang\s Great Wall of Chocolate Cake.

5 oz. unsweetened chocolate, coarsely chopped
2 c. all-purpose flour
2 1/2 tea. baking powder
1/4 tea. salt
3/4 c. unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 c. sugar
2 tea. vanilla extract or flavoring
3 large eggs, at room temperature
1 1/4 c. milk

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly butter two 9-inch round cake pans. Line the bottoms of the pans with circles of baking parchment or wax paper. Dust the sides of the pans with flour and tap out the excess.

In a microwave-safe bowl, melt the chocolate on HIGH for 1 to 2 min., or until melted, stirring halfway through cooking. Set the chocolate aside to cool to room temperature for 10 min..

In a large bowl, stir the flour, baking powder and salt.

In another large bowl, using a handheld electric mixer, beat the butter and sugar until combined. Beat in the melted chocolate and vanilla extract or flavoring. One at a time, add the eggs, beating well after each addition. Add the flour mixture and milk in thirds, beating until just combined. Scrape the batter into the greased pans and spread evenly. Bake for 25 to 30 min., or until a wooden pick inserted in the center of each layer comes out clean. Transfer the pans to a wire rack. Cool 10 min.. Carefully invert the cake layers onto the rack and cool completely.

Place one layer on a serving plate. Spread frosting over the cake and top with the second cake layer. Frost the outside of the cake, then the top. Store in the refrigerator. Serves approximately 12.

Chocolate Ganache Frosting
18 oz. bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
1 1/2 c. heavy cream
1/3 c. seedless raspberry jam
1/4 c. unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
Pinch of salt
1 1/2 tea. vanilla extract or flavoring

Place the chocolate in a large bowl.

In a saucepan, bring the cream, raspberry jam, butter and salt just to a boil. Pour over the chocolate and let it stand for 1 min.. Whisk until smooth, then mix in the vanilla extract or flavoring.

Cover with plastic wrap and let the frosting thicken overnight at room temperature or refrigerate it for no longer than 1 1/2 hours.

Makes approximately 2 c..