Devil's Food Cake Layers
3 oz. unsweetened chocolate, melted and cooled
1 1/3 Cups all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
6 Tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into six pieces
3/4 Cup boiling water
1 1/2 Cups sugar
6 Tablespoons sour cream or buttermilk
2 large eggs
1. Butter two 9-inch round cake pans; line bottoms with parchment or wax paper.
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
3. Stir together the flour, baking soda and salt in a bowl.
4. Add butter to the melted chocolate. Make sure you use a large bowl. Pour in boiling water and mix well. Use a hand whisk because if you use an electric mixer, the liquid will fly all over the place!
5. Whisk in the sugar and sour cream. Stir in the flour mixture. Whisk in the eggs.
6. Pour batter into the prepare pans.
7. Bake for about 25 - 30 minutes or until the layers are well risen and firm to the touch; and a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
8. Cool the layers in the pans on racks for five minutes, then unmold onto racks to finish cooling.
9. You will only need one layer for this recipe. Wrap the other layer in heavy foil and freeze until needed.
3 oz. unsweetened chocolate, melted and cooled
1 1/3 Cups all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
6 Tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into six pieces
3/4 Cup boiling water
1 1/2 Cups sugar
6 Tablespoons sour cream or buttermilk
2 large eggs
1. Butter two 9-inch round cake pans; line bottoms with parchment or wax paper.
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
3. Stir together the flour, baking soda and salt in a bowl.
4. Add butter to the melted chocolate. Make sure you use a large bowl. Pour in boiling water and mix well. Use a hand whisk because if you use an electric mixer, the liquid will fly all over the place!
5. Whisk in the sugar and sour cream. Stir in the flour mixture. Whisk in the eggs.
6. Pour batter into the prepare pans.
7. Bake for about 25 - 30 minutes or until the layers are well risen and firm to the touch; and a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
8. Cool the layers in the pans on racks for five minutes, then unmold onto racks to finish cooling.
9. You will only need one layer for this recipe. Wrap the other layer in heavy foil and freeze until needed.
Cheesecake Batter
2 pounds cream cheese, room temperature
1 cup sugar
5 oz. semisweet chocolate, melted
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
6 large eggs, room temperature
5 oz. white chocolate, melted
1. One 3-in-deep 9-inch springform pan, buttered and bottom lined with parchment or wax paper.
2. Preheat oven to 35 degrees.
3. In a large bowl, beat 1 lb of the cream cheese on the lowest speed for not more than 30 seconds. Stop the mixer and scrape down sides, then add 1/2 cup of the sugar in a stream, beating for not more than 30 seconds.
4. Stop mixer and scrape down sides again. Add the melted dark chocolate and beat until it is absorbed, not more than 30 seconds. Beat in 1 teaspoon of the vanilla. Add 3 of the eggs, one at a time, mixing only until each is combined. Set bowl aside.
5. Make the white chocolate batter following the same steps as for the dark chocolate batter, using up all the ingredients.
2 pounds cream cheese, room temperature
1 cup sugar
5 oz. semisweet chocolate, melted
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
6 large eggs, room temperature
5 oz. white chocolate, melted
1. One 3-in-deep 9-inch springform pan, buttered and bottom lined with parchment or wax paper.
2. Preheat oven to 35 degrees.
3. In a large bowl, beat 1 lb of the cream cheese on the lowest speed for not more than 30 seconds. Stop the mixer and scrape down sides, then add 1/2 cup of the sugar in a stream, beating for not more than 30 seconds.
4. Stop mixer and scrape down sides again. Add the melted dark chocolate and beat until it is absorbed, not more than 30 seconds. Beat in 1 teaspoon of the vanilla. Add 3 of the eggs, one at a time, mixing only until each is combined. Set bowl aside.
5. Make the white chocolate batter following the same steps as for the dark chocolate batter, using up all the ingredients.
6. Wrap heavy duty foil around the bottom of the springform pan to come up at least 1 inch up the sides.
7. Slice the Devil's Food Cake layer in two layers. Place one layer in the bottom of the springform pan. Pour the dark chocolate batter into the pan. Place the other cake layer on the batter and pour in the white chocolate layer.
8. Place the springform pan in a larger pan with deep sides. Pour warm water into the pan to a depth of 1/2 inch. Bake the cheesecake for 75 minutes or until lightly colored and firm except for the center.
9. Remove from oven and take the cheesecake pan out of the hot water. Remove foil and let cool completely on a rack.
10. Wrap the cheesecake and chill overnight. Unmold the cheesecake carefully (run a knife of thin scraper down the sides before removing sides); slice and serve with whipped cream if desired.
Note: Make sure all ingredients are at room temperature.
