Cake of the Day: Chocolate Cake for Leeda from ‘Sugar & Spice’
Every day, Yahoo Food features delectable cakes. They taste good, they look good, and they’re made by good people — talented bakers from around the world. Today, Samantha Seneviratne shares a magical moist chocolate cake that’s baked with coconut oil from her new cookbook Sugar & Spice.
Photo: Erin Kunkel
Chocolate Cake for Leeda
Serves 16
When my mom talks about my Great Aunt Leeda’s magical chocolate cake, she closes her eyes, delighted just by the memory. I’m sure I would have loved it as much as she did, but unfortunately I never got to try it. Leeda was careful to keep her best recipes a secret, and no written recipe exists, as far as I know. Here’s my best shot at recreating her masterpiece. I used coconut oil instead of butter because it’s a good bet that she did, too, living on a coconut-laden island. Plus, it adds moisture and a heavenly tropical essence to the downy cake. These days, coconut oil is easy to find in most supermarkets, right next to the olive and vegetable oils. Mom said that Leeda topped the cake with a simple buttercream made with confectioners’ sugar and cocoa powder, but I prefer the richer chocolate taste of a classic chocolate ganache.
Cake
2⁄3 cup melted coconut oil, plus more for greasing the pan
1 1⁄2 cups all-purpose flour
2⁄3 cup natural cocoa powder
1 tablespoon freshly grated nutmeg
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3⁄4 teaspoon baking powder
3⁄4 teaspoon baking soda
3⁄4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs, lightly beaten, at room temperature
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 cup whole milk, at room temperature
Frosting
8 ounces bittersweet chocolate (60 to 70 percent cacao), chopped (about 2 cups)
1 cup heavy cream
1⁄2 teaspoon kosher salt
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Oil a 9-inch square baking pan and line with parchment paper, leaving a 2-inch overhang on two sides. Lightly oil the parchment.
To prepare the cake, in a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, nutmeg, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. If your cocoa powder has a few lumps you can sift this mixture, but it isn’t necessary otherwise.
In a large bowl, whisk together the coconut oil, sugar, eggs, and vanilla. Whisk in about half of the flour mixture. Then whisk in half of the milk. Repeat this process, stirring until the batter is smooth. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Tap the pan against the counter a few times to knock out the air bubbles.
Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with moist crumbs attached, 25 to 30 minutes. Let cool completely on a rack.
To prepare the frosting, place the chocolate in a large bowl. In a small saucepan, bring the cream to a boil. Immediately pour it over the chocolate and let stand 1 minute, then whisk until smooth. Let the mixture cool at room temperature to a spreadable consistency, stirring occasionally.
Lift the cake out of the pan and set it on a serving plate. Remove the parchment. Spread the frosting evenly over the top of the cake.
This cake is best the day it’s made but you can keep leftovers, well wrapped, at room temperature for 1 day.
Reprinted with permission from Sugar & Spice by Samantha Seneviratne (Ten Speed Press).
More cakes baked with sugar and spice:
Semolina Cake with Pistachios and Honey
Sticky Date Cake from ‘Rose Water & Orange Blossoms’
