Wondrous One-Bowl Chocolate Layer Cake

... for My Son 4th Birthday.
Tidak ada perayaan yg heboh, hanya acara tiup lilin sekeluarga... tapi kehadiran birthday cake adalah wajib hukumnya :). Kali ini sy hanya bikin 1 buah layer chocolate cake (bundar) yg dipotong pada salah satu sisinya hingga kemudian membentuk 1 bowl ice cream. Very simple! but the chocolate cake ... is very moist, rich and yummy.

Patrick with the 'ice cream bowl' birthday cake and his new bike :)

Tiga hari menjelang ulang tahunnya kita ngadain 'small farewell party' di sekolahnya Patrick (tepat dihari ulang tahunnya-5 February 2007-Patrick masuk sekolah barunya). Dengan resep yg sama dengan birthday cakenya, sy bikin 2 lusin chocolate cupcakes. Hanya party yg sangat sederhana tapi begitu berkesan u/ Patrick dan teman2nya. Cupcake sy masukkan di box kecil transpasran, plus butter popcorn dan candies (yg sebenarnya jg berfungsi menahan cupcake agar posisinya stabil dalam box hingga buttercream gak belepotan).

Siapapun yg pernah membuat brownies atau muffin pasti merasakan betapa nikmat dan mudahnya membuat 'one-bowl dessert' ini. Semua bahan-wet ones, dry ones, nuts, zests & other tidbits- dicampur bersama dalam 1 bowl (bisa dalam 1 mixer bowl, 1 food processor bowl ataupun 1 mangkok besar dengan 1 sendok pengaduk)
~Sy biasa menyebutnya dengan 'produk aduk2'... entah itu brownies aduk2 atau muffin aduk2. Persiapan dan acara bersih2 pun sangat minimal, tapi kepuasannya maximal.
Bikin cake ini pun demikian, semua dicemplung dlm 1 mixing bowl, gak ada teknik khusus, gak perlu a degree in Home Economics, jg gak perlu ikutan a gourmet cooking class :D... gampaaang bgt deh, dengan tingkat kegagalan sangat rendah, dengan hasil sangat memuaskan.
Resep Layer Chocolate Cake ini sebenarnya sudah pernah sy upload dengan title 'One Bowl Chocolate Cupcake'. Tp sy baru menyadari kalau resep ini mirip dengan Hershey's "Perfectly Chocolate" Chocolate Cake~yg sempet jadi favoritku. Kesimpulan sy, Martha Stewart memodifikasi resep asli dari Hershey's. Dan, hasil modifikasinya cukup sukses... sangat pas u/ kita2 yg hampir selalu pake Ducth-process cocoa powder.

source : Martha Stewart's Baking Handbook
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/4 cups Dutch-process cocoa powder
2 1/2 cups sugar
2 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
2 large whole eggs plus 1 large egg yolk
1 1/4 cups milk
1/2 cup plus 2 tbsp vegetable oil
1 1/4 cup warm water

Preheat the oven to 350 F. Coat two 8 by 2 inch round cake pans (*) with nonstick cooking spray. Line bottoms with parchment paper; spray parchment. Set aside.

Into the bowl of an electric mixer, sift together flour, cocoa, sugar, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Attact bowl to mixer fitted with the paddle attachment; add the eggs and yolk, the milk, oil, vanilla and warm water. Beat on low speed until smooth and combined, about 3 minutes; scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.

Dividing batter between the prepared pans. Bake, rotating pans halfway through, until a cake tester inserted in the centers comes out clean, about 45 minutes. Transfer pans to a wire rack to cool 30 minutes. Invert cakes into the rack; peel off the parchment. Reinvert cakes, and let them cook completely, top sides up.

Using a serrated knife, trim tops of the cake layer to make level. Place one layer on a cake plate, and spread 2/3 cup buttercream on top. Place other cake layer on top. Spread entire cake with remaining buttercream, swirling to cover completely.

(*) Sy pake two - 9 by 1 inch round pans.
Untuk butter cream, sy pake resep butter cream ini