This Brick Street Chocolate Cake recipe is everything you dream of in a fudgy chocolate cake. Perfect for the holidays, birthdays, or whenever that chocolate craving strikes. Plus, it’s easy to make and only requires a handful of pantry baking staples. Hands down, this is the best chocolate cake recipe ever!

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Celebrating One Year of Blogging with the Best Chocolate Cake Recipe

Hey folks, we’re having a par-tay here today, and you’re invited! We’re baking the best chocolate cake recipe to celebrate the 1-year blogging anniversary of Through Her Looking Glass. (Who remembers my first post ever? We’ve come a long way, folks!) And we’re not just making any chocolate cake. We’re having Brick Street Chocolate Cake! 

An excellent chocolate cake recipe is like the little black dress — it’s important to have on in your arsenal when the occasion arises. Not like you’ll need it every day or even every week, but it’s there when you need it. This luscious, rich Brick Street Chocolate Cake is the perfect go-to chocolate cake recipe for holidays, birthdays, or whenever that chocolate craving strikes.

What Is Brick Street Chocolate Cake?

I’ve been on a quest for years to find the perfect chocolate cake recipe. It has to be dense, fudgy, and rich with a to-die-for ganache icing, as well as easy to throw together for any occasion.

After much trial and error (and heartbreak), a dear friend who is also an accomplished Southern baker sent me what she claimed to be the world’s best chocolate cake recipe ever and said I absolutely had to make it for the blog. Thank goodness for talented baker friends because she was absolutely right. The recipe for Brick Street Chocolate Cake comes from Brick Street Cafe in Greenville, South Carolina, and it’s something this quaint Southern staple is famous for far and wide. (And for good reason!)

Key Ingredients

You only need a few pantry staples to make this decadent Brick Street Chocolate Cake recipe, including granulated sugar, unsalted butter (softened to room temperature), pure vanilla extract, eggs (also at room temperature), cake flour, cocoa powder (sifted), baking soda, and salt.

Additionally, you’ll need the secret ingredients that make this chocolate cake so fudgy, rich, and moise — instant chocolate pudding mix, buttermilk, and semisweet chocolate chips. That’s right. You’ve got cocoa powder, chocolate chips, and chocolate pudding mix all in one cake. (I told you this cake was chocolatey!)

Lastly, there’s the Chocolate Ganache Frosting. You only need a few pantry staple ingredients to make the best chocolate frosting ever (and no fancy chocolate bars!), including water, pure vanilla extract, butter, sifted cocoa powder, powdered sugar, and heavy cream.

Choosing the Correct Baking Pan for This Brick Street Chocolate Cake

I bake this Brick Street cake in a two-piece, round, metal angel food cake pan, also called a tube pan. There is a hollow tube going up the center of the pan. It measures 9.5″ across at the top and 8″ across at the base and is 4.25″ high. The bottom and center hollow tube are one piece and lift up and out of the sides of the pan. Unfortunately, there aren’t standard size baking pans around the world, making it difficult, but I hope this gives you a good idea. 

But the good news is that besides this specialized food cake pan that you can bake the Brick Street Chocolate Cake in many others have baked in a large bundt pan. Just make sure that the bundt pan is greased very well in every nook and cranny and dusted liberally with flour  or — even better — cocoa powder.

How To Make the Best Chocolate Cake 

1. Preheat your convection oven to 350°.
2. In the meantime, combine the wet ingredients — sugar, butter, and vanilla — in a large bowl using a wooden spoon or whisk. Then, gently add the eggs one at a time until just incorporated.
3. Now, it’s time for the dry ingredients. Gradually mix in cake flour, baking cocoa, soda, salt, chocolate pudding mix and buttermilk.
4. Stir in the chocolate chips by hand.
5. Pour the chocolate cake batter into the greased and dusted tube pan. 
6. Bake for 60-70 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean from the center. Cool the Brick Street Chocolate Cake completely before icing, or else the ganache will run.

How To Make Chocolate Ganache Frosting

1. While the chocolate cake is cooling, prepare the ganache frosting. Start by heating the water, butter and vanilla together in sauce pan on stovetop until melted. Then, remove from heat.
2. Stir in the cocoa and powdered sugar, both sifted. Once mixed, add the heavy cream one tablespoon at a time until it’s the right consistency. 
3. Ice the cake by filling the hole in the middle of the cake first, then spread icing over the cake and pour over the sides. Icing will harden as it cools. Fill the center hole with ganache icing first, then pour the rest over the top, let it cascade down the sides. Yeah. There’s cocoa in that ganache. Cocoa in the cake. Also chocolate pudding and chocolate chips.

Storage Instructions

• Store leftover cake in an airtight container or on a plate sealed with plastic wrap at room temperature for up to 2 days. Place plastic wrap on the exposed areas of the cake to keep it from drying out.
• Freeze cooled cake whole or by the slice for up to 3 months. Allow frozen cake to come to room temperature before serving.

Variations

• This Brick Street Chocolate Cake is traditionally baked in a convection oven, which is how it’s prepared in this recipe. Don’t have a convection oven? Don’t worry! I developed a Brick Street Chocolate Cake recipe that can be made in a conventional oven, too. 
• More of a cupcake person? Then try my Brick Street Chocolate Cupcakes! Just as delicious, rich, and fudgy, but more portable and perfect for birthdays!
• If you love chopped nuts, add some to the cake batter or to the chocolate ganache frosting! Walnuts or pecans would be delicious.
• Serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, freshly whipped cream, and fresh berries!

More Cake Recipes To Try

If you enjoyed this Brick Street Chocolate Cake (aka the best chocolate cake recipe ever), then you’ll love these other cake and cupcake recipes:

• Brick Street Chocolate Cupcakes
• Lemon Pound Cake
• Blueberry Pound Cake
• Blueberry Pound Cake
• King Arthur Best Birthday Cupcakes
• Carrot Cake Cupcakes with Vanilla Bean Cream Cheese Frosting

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Famous Brick Street Chocolate Cake

Famous Brick Street Chocolate Cake. Everything you dream of: rich, dense chocolate cake. Surprise ingredients. And to-die-for ganache icing.

Course Dessert

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 1 hour hour

Total Time 1 hour hour 20 minutes minutes

Servings 1

Author Allie Taylor

Ingredients

Cake:

• 2 cups sugar
• 1 cup butter softened
• 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 3 large eggs
• 2 1/2 cups cake flour
• 1 cup baking cocoa sifted
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup instant chocolate pudding mix small box
• 2 1/4 cups buttermilk
• 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Chocolate Icing:

• 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 cup baking cocoa sifted
• 3 1/2 cups powdered sugar
• 3 tablespoons heavy cream more or less for consistency

Instructions

Cake:

• Preheat CONVECTION OVEN ONLY to 350°.
• Beat sugar, butter & vanilla in large bowl.
• Beat in eggs.
• Mix in cake flour, baking cocoa, soda, salt, chocolate pudding mix and buttermilk.
• Stir in semi-sweet chocolate chips.
• Pour into greased tube pan.
• Bake in CONVECTION OVEN ONLY at 350° for 60-70 minutes, until cake tester comes out clean.
• Cool cake completely before icing.

Chocolate Icing:

• Heat water, butter and vanilla together in sauce pan on stovetop until melted.
• Remove from heat.
• Stir in one cup cocoa.
• Stir in powdered sugar, sifted.
• Stir in heavy cream, up to 3 tablespoons until you get the desired consistency.
• Ice by filling the hole in the middle of the cake first, then spread icing over the cake and pour over the sides. Icing will harden as it cools.

Notes

Bake in convection oven only. This does not work in a traditional oven.

I bake this Brick Street cake in a two-piece, round, metal angel food cake pan, also called a tube pan in some places. There is a hollow tube going up the center of the pan. It measures 9.5" across at the top and 8" across at the base and is 4.25" high. It is by Ecko. The bottom and center hollow tube are one piece and lift up and out of the sides of the pan. Unfortunately there aren't standard size baking pans around the world, making it difficult, but I hope this gives you a good idea. Many others have baked this in a large bundt pan as well, with good success.

If dry pudding mix isn't available to buy in your country, here is a recipe for a dry pudding mix http://momsneedtoknow.com/how-to-make-homemade-chocolate-pudding/ Just use 1/2 cup of this mix in place of the instant pudding mix. (Do not make the mix into pudding, just use 1/2 cup of the dry pudding mix.)

Originally published on December 15, 2017.

The post Brick Street Chocolate Cake (aka Best Chocolate Cake Ever!) appeared first on Through Her Looking Glass.

So I’ve been on an earnest quest for some years to find the perfect chocolate cake recipe. Dense and rich. With a to-die-for ganache icing. And I finally found it: the Brick Street Chocolate Cake for CONVENTIONAL Oven!

Hello friends. Today I have excellent news for modern man. (Also women and children.) Grab your forks! Today I’m sharing the recipe for Brick Street Chocolate Cake for CONVENTIONAL Oven. (If you’re looking for Brick Street Chocolate Cake for CONVECTION Oven, click HERE.)

If you’re ready to bake, scroll down for the recipe. If you want to hear the interesting story of how this recipe morphed into existence, keep reading! Always a story. So many of you know the original Famous Brick Street Chocolate Cake recipe was developed for convection oven only.

The recipe was originally given to me by a kind southern friend. It’s a luscious, dense, to-die-for chocolate cake recipe from the lovely, historic Brick Street Cafe in Greenville, SC where I lived for many years.

An excellent chocolate cake recipe’s like the little black dress. (Or suit.) Important to have in the wardrobe (recipe box) when the occasion arises. Not like you’ll need it every day or even every week, but there when you need it. Yes, that’s exactly how I feel about this luscious chocolate cake.

So I’ve been on a quest for some time (years) to find the perfect chocolate cake recipe. Dense and rich. With a to-die-for ganache icing. And not too many crazy steps to put it together. Yeah. Thought I found that recipe a few years ago. There was a chocolate cake recipe I really loved. But then I found this easy recipe for Brick Street Chocolate Cake.

I was initially told this recipe was for convection oven only and would turn out “soupy” in a regular (conventional) oven. Not to waste my time or ingredients even trying it in a regular oven. So who wants a soupy chocolate cake? Not me. I’m all about saving a dime too. And since I always do as I’m told (ahem), I published the Brick Street Chocolate Cake recipe for convection oven only.

BUT.

Last week a reader commented on the site that she had gone ahead and baked the cake in a regular, conventional oven and it turned out great.

Say WHATTTT???

So unfortunately, over the past Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays there were literally thousands of disappointed people who weren’t able to bake this cake because they didn’t have a convection oven. And of course I felt terrible about that. But now the tune has changed to a much cheerier one, and just in time for Valentine’s Day.

I’m delighted to say I baked a Brick Street Chocolate Cake for CONVENTIONAL Oven today in a regular, conventional oven. It turned out great: dense, rich and every bit as delicious as the original convection oven recipe. So pour yourself a big glass of milk and let’s clink!

All I can think of is…. “they said she couldn’t do it, and she went ahead and did it.” Many thanks to brave THLG reader and baker Caitlin who forged on ahead and blazed the trail, went right ahead and tried it anyway!

And also took the time to comment back and let me know! Thank you Caitlin, you’ve made more than a few people very happy. (And quite a lesson here I’m thinking.)

So the ingredients remain the same for this Brick Street Chocolate Cake for CONVENTIONAL Oven. The only change made to this rich chocolate cake recipe is an adjustment in oven temperature during baking.

I bake this Brick Street cake in a two-piece, round, metal angel food cake pan, also called a tube pan in some places. There is a hollow tube going up the center of the pan. It measures 9.5″ across at the top and 8″ across at the base and is 4.25″ high. It is by Ecko.

The bottom and center hollow tube are one piece and lift up and out of the sides of the pan. Unfortunately there aren’t standard size baking pans around the world, making it difficult, but I hope this gives you a good idea. Many others have baked this in a large bundt pan as well, with good success.

Can’t wait to hear if you make this luscious Brick Street Chocolate Cake for CONVENTIONAL Oven in your regular, conventional oven and hope you love it as much as we do!

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Brick Street Chocolate Cake for CONVENTIONAL (regular) Oven

Brick Street Chocolate Cake for CONVENTIONAL (regular) oven. All your dreams of a rich, dense chocolate cake. Bakes in a regular oven. Rich chocolate ganache icing!

Course Cake

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 1 hour hour

Total Time 1 hour hour 20 minutes minutes

Servings 1

Author Allie Taylor

Ingredients

Cake:

• 2 cups sugar
• 1 cup unsalted butter softened
• 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 3 large eggs
• 2 1/2 cups cake flour
• 1 cup baking cocoa sifted
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup instant chocolate pudding mix small box
• 2 1/4 cups buttermilk
• 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Chocolate Icing:

• 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 cup baking cocoa sifted
• 3 1/2 cups powdered sugar sifted
• 3 tablespoons heavy cream more or less for consistency

Instructions

Cake:

• Preheat regular, conventional oven to 350°.
• Beat sugar, butter & vanilla in large bowl.
• Beat in eggs.
• Mix in cake flour, baking cocoa, soda, salt, chocolate pudding and buttermilk.
• Stir in semi-sweet chocolate chips.
• Pour into greased tube pan.
• Bake in regular, conventional oven at 350° for 30 minutes.
• Adjust baking temperature down to 325° and continue baking 30-40 minutes more, until cake tester comes out clean.
• (Check with cake tester at the one hour mark.)
• Cool cake completely before icing.

Chocolate Icing:

• Heat water, butter and vanilla together in sauce pan on stovetop until melted.
• Remove from heat.
• Stir in one cup cocoa.
• Stir in powdered sugar, sifted.
• Stir in heavy cream, up to 3 tablespoons (or more) until you get the desired consistency.
• Ice cake by filling the hole in the middle of the cake first, then spread icing over cake top and pour over the sides. Icing will harden as it cools.

Notes

I bake this Brick Street cake in a two-piece, round, metal angel food cake pan, also called a tube pan in some places. There is a hollow tube going up the center of the pan. It measures 9.5" across at the top and 8" across at the base and is 4.25" high. It is by Ecko. The bottom and center hollow tube are one piece and lift up and out of the sides of the pan. Unfortunately there aren't standard size baking pans around the world, making it difficult, but I hope this gives you a good idea. Many others have baked this in a large bundt pan as well, with good success.

If dry pudding mix isn't available to buy in your country, here is a recipe for a dry pudding mix http://momsneedtoknow.com/how-to-make-homemade-chocolate-pudding/ Just use 1/2 cup of this mix in place of the instant pudding mix. (Do not make the mix into pudding, just use 1/2 cup of the dry pudding mix.)

You may also like: Brick Street Chocolate Cupcakes

The post Brick Street Chocolate Cake for CONVENTIONAL Oven appeared first on Through Her Looking Glass.

Hi friend, hope all’s well with you today. It’s almost time to ring in 2016, and hard to fathom 2015 is nearly over. Taking a quick moment here to say a heartfelt thanks to each of you for your love, support and encouragement this past year. I’m grateful for all I’ve learned, the wonderful people I’ve met and precious friends I’ve reconnected with along the way during my first year of blogging. It was a big learning curve and an exciting journey. Thanks for coming along for the ride.

Today I’m sharing the Top 2015 Recipes from Through Her Looking Glass. Maybe you missed a few along the way or are curious which recipes took off on Pinterest and social media this year.

The Famous Brick Street Chocolate Cake was the top viewed recipe here in 2015, and was given to me by a southern friend who regularly makes this cake for the local fire and police stations in town. It’s also served at the Brick Street Cafe in Greenville, SC for $5 a slice. Linda told me this recipe would make me famous. (She may be right!) This is the best chocolate cake I’ve ever tasted.

This pretty Crunchy Asian Salad came in second place in 2015 and I can see why. The bright colors and tangy flavors blend perfectly with the cabbage, toasted sesame seeds and ramen noodles. Crunchy, sweet and addictive. This healthy salad is the perfect year round side dish and adds vibrant color to any menu.

This Blueberry Pound Cake came in at #3 on the blog. I’m such a blueberry lover and blueberries are a New England thang. (Yeah I meant to say that.) My boys and I pick pounds and pounds of blueberries each July to make jars and jars of blueberry jam, blueberry muffins and this Blueberry Pound Cake. You can’t go wrong with fresh butter, sugar, pure vanilla and blueberries. This dense and buttery pound cake is packed with plump, juicy blueberries. A dollop of whipped cream on top is utter bliss.

Coming in at #4 are these  Jordan Marsh Blueberry Muffins. The fancy sugar-crusted muffins are legend in New England and the Boston area, and were baked at the Jordan Marsh department store bakeries for decades. Sadly Jordan Marsh is no longer in business, but these scrumptious muffins bring back the memories, tastes and wonderful smells of a by-gone era. This recipe is the original and you won’t be disappointed with these gigantic blueberry muffins.

A December 2004 Boston Globe article said, “For decades, any decent downtown shopping trip ended at Jordan Marsh, where the promise of a sugar-crusted blueberry muffin could make annoying children angelic.” (Jordan Marsh, where are you when I need you???)

And last but not least, these Gingersnaps came in at #5. These cookies are beautifully crackly and crunchy on the outside, slightly chewy in the center, rolled in sugar just before baking. Oven warm, Gingersnaps are the perfect companion to a tall glass of ice cold milk or lemonade. Or a steaming mug of spicy chai tea in winter. (Hint: dip one in Lemon Curd for a real treat.)

Would love to hear if you tried one of these Top 2015 Recipes, and cheers to a scrumptious culinary year ahead in 2016!

The post Thanks & Top 2015 Recipes appeared first on Through Her Looking Glass.

Today would be the perfect day to make this 29 Minute Decadent Chocolate Sheet Cake. I thought about naming it the Speedy Gonzales Chocolate Sheetcake. It’s hard to believe you can make, bake and frost a moist Decadent Chocolate Sheet Cake in just twenty-nine minutes. But this speedy recipe takes the cake, having you do just that in no time flat. (OK, twenty-nine minutes.) But you musn’t dilly dally.

My girlfriend regularly brings this fudgy cake to picnics and potlucks. I’ve learned from experience that you must move subtly and quickly towards the dessert table, or you’re out of luck. When she told me she baked and frosted the cake in under thirty minutes, my first thought?  “Someone’s nose is growing longer.” (True confession.) Then I finally baked the cake myself, and no Pinocchio. Now I’m a believer too.

There are so many reasons that make this chocolate cake such a winner. Let’s start with the chocolate. You just can’t go wrong with chocolate, any way you slice it. The cake travels like a champ in its jelly roll pan, making it perfect for tailgating, picnics and potlucks. It’s rich, delicious and bakes in the oven for just twelve minutes.

When the cake comes out of the oven, mix the fudgy icing, then spread it on the warm cake. It oozes into every nook and cranny with absolutely irresistible crowd pleasing results. Oooo la la! It couldn’t be faster and easier. Or yummier! It’s a blue ribbon winner every time, best enjoyed with a tall glass of icy cold milk, perfect for last minute company. Trust me, you’ll spend more time sharing this recipe than actually baking the cake. Just remember: no dilly dallying!

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29 Minute Decadent Chocolate Sheet Cake

Quick to make, easy to eat! Rich chocolate sheet cake.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Prep Time 17 minutes minutes

Cook Time 12 minutes minutes

Total Time 29 minutes minutes

Servings 1

Author Allie Taylor - Through Her Looking Glass

Ingredients

• 2 cups flour
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1/2 cup oil
• 1 cup water
• 4 tablespoons cocoa
• 1/2 cup buttermilk
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/4 cup butter
• 7 tablespoons milk
• 4 tablespoons cocoa
• 4 cups 1 pound Domino confectioners (powdered) sugar

Instructions

• Cake: Mix together flour, sugar and salt in mixing bowl.
• Separately, boil 1/2 cup butter with oil, water and 4 tablespoons cocoa.
• Mix together flour mixture and boiled ingredients with mixer.
• Add buttermilk, baking soda, eggs, cinnamon and vanilla.
• Pour batter into greased and floured 10 X 15" jelly roll pan.
• Bake at 400 degrees for 12 minutes or 'til toothpick comes out clean.
• Fudgy Chocolate Icing: Melt on low heat, 1/4 cup butter, milk and 4 tablespoons cocoa.
• Add in powdered sugar.
• Mix 'til smooth.
• Pour and spread onto warm cake.
• Cool.

Notes

Assemble the ingredients before starting.
If you don't have buttermilk on hand, mix 1 1/2 teaspoons vinegar with 1/2 cup milk. Let sit a few minutes. Voila, buttermilk!
Preheat oven before mixing cake batter.
Use a greased and floured 10 X 15" jelly roll pan or line with parchment paper.
Make frosting immediately after cake is out of the oven, then frost.

I said this was a quick cake. Not that it wasn’t messy.  (Hope the baker isn’t also the dishwasher. And good luck on that!)

You may also like: Brick Street Chocolate Cake

The post 29 Minute Decadent Chocolate Sheet Cake appeared first on Through Her Looking Glass.