Chocolate Chocolate Chip Cake

By cwyorkiex3

Ingredients

• FOR CAKE:
• 1/2 cup Unsweetened Cocoa
• 1/2 cup Mini Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
• 1 cup all purpose flour
• 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 6 tablespoons butter, very soft but not melted
• 2 tablespoons flavorless vegetable oil (such as canola or safflower)
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup cool water
• CHOCOLATE FROSTING:
• 4 ounces Ghirardelli Semi-Sweet Chocolate Baking Bar
• 4 tablespoon(s) butter
• 3 cups powdered sugar
• 1/3 cup hot milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• Brown Sugar Cocoa Frosting or Glaze:
• 1/2 cup Ghirardelli Unsweetened Cocoa
• 5 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 3/4 cups packed brown sugar, light or dark
• 1/4 teaspoons salt (scant)
• 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream
• 1 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Preparation

Step 1

FOR CAKE:
Position a rack in the lower third of the oven. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Grease the pan thoroughly. If using a round cake pan, line the bottom with a circle of parchment paper. In a large mixing bowl, thoroughly mix the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt for 60 seconds on low speed with the electric mixer. Add the butter, eggs, oil, vanilla, and 2 tablespoons of the water. Beat on low speed just until all of the dry ingredients are moist. Turn the mixer to medium speed and beat for 1 minute. Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl. Add 3 tablespoons water and beat for 20 seconds on medium speed. Scrape the bowl and add the remaining 3 tablespoons water. Beat for 20-30 seconds until the batter is smooth. Fold in the chocolate chips. Scrape the batter into the pan and spread it evenly.

Bake 35-40 minutes (do not open the oven for the first 30 minutes) or until a toothpick inserted into a cakey place in the center of the cake comes out clean (except for melted chocolate chips).

Set the pan on a rack to cool for ten minutes. Invert the cake onto rack (turn the round cake right side up) to cool completely. Serve plain or glaze with Ghirardelli Semisweet Chocolate Glaze or Ghirardelli Brown Sugar Cocoa Glaze. Store and serve at room temperature.


CHOCOLATE FROSTING:
In heavy saucepan on low heat, melt broken chocolate with butter, stirring constantly. Beat sugar with milk, vanilla, and salt until smooth. Add melted chocolate, and beat until thick enough to spread on cake.

Brown Sugar Cocoa Frosting or Glaze:
In a medium saucepan, melt the butter. Stir in the sugar, cocoa, and salt. Over low to medium heat, gradually stir in the cream. Continue to stir until the mixture is very hot and glossy. As soon as it starts to simmer at the edges, turn the heat down immediately and stir constantly without simmering for about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla.

For frosting, cool until spreadable. Reheat as necessary by setting the containing in a bowl of hot water.

For glaze or sauce, cool until thickened but still pourable. Put the sauce in the fridge for 5 minutes to speed up the cooling process for glaze.