Chocolate Chip Cake

OK, let me start off my saying that I royally screwed up this cake... twice... in two days.  But both were tiny, itty bitty mistakes and I'm sure you're all much smarter than me and have learned these lessons already.  This picture turned out to be the prettier of the two, but tasted like junk.  Why? Oh, because I thought I would make a "healthy" Chocolate Chip Cake (healthy? what was I thinking?) and use Whole Wheat Flour instead.

I know, I know, most of you are laughing.  For those who have already gone through this rookie mistake you know that subsituting whole wheat when it doesn't call for it turns baked goods into hockey pucks.  My chocolate chip cake turned out more like two frisbees but that's neither here nor there.  A word to those who have not goofed up on this yet: seriously, only use whole wheat flour when it's called for.  And PS - Baked goods, healthy? Pfffft. What was I thinking? Seriously, go all the way or go home, that's my motto (now.)

I was SO DETERMINED to get this cake right that I made it again the next night. After work. After dinner. And you know how it goes, it was getting late and I was tired but the darn cake was still cooling and I really wanted to try a bite before going to bed.  So I iced it when it was still warm and the icing started melting and the top layer started slidding all over the place.  It was a mess, albeit a delicious mess.  A nice, fluffy, chocolatey, delicious mess. Yummm.

I found this cover attached to the original magazine in the lunchroom at work and immediately ripped off the cover and recipe inside (cuz I'm all aggressive like that).  It had been in my pile of things to make.  I finally got to it and I have a feeling I will be coming back to it for many family parties in the future.

Chocolate Chip Cake
From Family Circle

3  cups  all-purpose flour

2-1/2  teaspoons  baking powder

1/2  teaspoon  salt

1  cup  (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened

1  cup  plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar

4    egg whites

3/4  cup  buttermilk

1  bag  (12 ounces) mini chocolate chips

1-1/3  cups  confectioners' sugar

2/3  cup  heavy cream

Chocolate curls, to garnish (optional)

1. Heat oven to 325°F. Coat two 8 x 2-inch straight-sided round cake pans with nonstick spray; line bottom of pan with waxed paper. Coat waxed paper with spray. Set aside until batter is ready.
2. Mix flour, baking powder and salt in a small bowl. Set aside.
3. With mixer on medium speed, beat butter and granulated sugar in bowl until light. Add egg whites, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
4. On low speed, beat in flour mixture alternately with buttermilk, beating after each addition. Stir in 2/3 cup of the mini chips. Divide batter evenly between prepared pans. Spread level.
5. Bake at 325°F for 37 to 39 minutes, or until cakes spring back when pressed. Cool in pans on a rack for 15 minutes. Invert cakes; remove pans and paper. Turn right side up; cool completely.
6. Place remaining chips (1-1/3 cups) in a glass bowl. Microwave on HIGH 30 seconds and stir. Heat 45 seconds more; stir until smooth. Set aside. In large bowl, beat together confectioners' sugar and heavy cream until blended, 1 minute. Beat in half of the melted chocolate, then remainder. Beat 1 minute, until shiny, smooth and good spreading consistency, scraping down bowl halfway through.
7. Place one cake layer on a pedestal or platter. Spread with 2/3 cup frosting. Top with second cake layer. Spread side and top of cake with remaining frosting (if frosting becomes stiff, use warm spatula to spread). Garnish with chocolate curls.

Family Circle, February 2007