- 8
Ingredients
- Cake
- 2 cups (500 mL) all-purpose flour
- (stir or sift before measuring)
- 1 1/2 cups (325 mL) granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup (50 mL) unsweetened cocoa powder
- (sift before measuring)
- 1 tsp (5 mL) baking soda
- tsp (1 mL) salt
- cup (125 mL) unsalted butter (1 stick)
- cup (175 mL) buttermilk
- cup (175 mL) coffee or water
- 2 eggs
- 1 tsp (5 mL) vanilla essence
- Glaze
- 1/2 cup (125 mL) butter (1 stick)
- 2 tbsp (25 mL) coffee or water
- 1/4 cup (50 mL) unsweetened cocoa powder
- (sift before measuring)
- 1 tsp (5 mL) vanilla
- 3 cups (750 mL) icing sugar
- (sift before measuring)
- 1 cup (250 mL) chopped toasted walnuts
- or pecans
Preparation
Step 1
. Adjust rack to oven centre; preheat to 400F (200C). Grease and flour (or use a dusting of very fine dry bread crumbs) a 10 x 15-inch (25 x 38-cm) jelly-roll baking pan.
2. In a large bowl, thoroughly stir flour with sugar, cocoa, baking soda and salt. In a small pan, melt butter over low heat.
3. Measure out buttermilk; add coffee, eggs and vanilla. Beat with a fork until well mixed.
4. Add buttermilk mixture at once to flour mixture; stir until half mixed. Add melted butter; stir until just combined with a few lumps remaining. Turn into pan; smooth top. Bake 18 to 20 minutes or until edges pull away from sides and centre of cake is firm to a light touch.
5. Meanwhile make glaze immediately. In a small pan, melt butter with coffee over medium heat until hot. Whisk in cocoa; stir 2 to 3 minutes or just until smooth and thickened. Remove from heat; stir in vanilla and icing sugar.
6. When hot cake comes out of the oven, immediately spread with still-warm glaze mixture. Immediately sprinkle with nuts. Cool completely on a rack; then cover tightly with plastic wrap (make sure ends of wrap overlap underneath the pan) for transport or to store at room temperature for up to 2 days. (Cake freezes very well for up to 2 weeks; defrost with wrappings still in place to avoid moisture accumulation on glaze.)