Low-Fat, Cholesterol-Free Chocolate Layer Cake with Meringue Frosting
By America's Test KitchenPublished on August 22, 2007
Time
2 hours, plus 2 hours 20 minutes cooling
Yield
Serves 12
Ingredients
Reduced-Guilt Chocolate Layer Cake
½ cup natural cocoa powder 2 teaspoons instant espresso powder, or instant coffee1 cup boiling water 2 teaspoons vanilla extract ½ cup vegetable oil 1 ¼ cups granulated sugar 1 ¼ cups unbleached all-purpose flour ½ teaspoon baking soda ½ teaspoon table salt 4 large egg whites ¼ teaspoon cream of tartarMeringue Frosting
3 large egg whites 1 teaspoon vanilla extract ⅛ teaspoon cream of tartar Pinch table salt 1 ¼ cups granulated sugar ⅓ cup waterBefore You Begin
Because this reduced-guilt chocolate cake contains less fat, it is springier and spongier than most chocolate cakes, and also not quite as rich.
Instructions
- Adjust oven rack to center position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease two 8-by-1 1/2-inch round baking pans with shortening. Line pan bottoms with waxed or parchment paper; grease paper as well. Dust pans with flour; tap out excess.
- Mix cocoa and instant coffee in small bowl; add boiling water and mix until smooth. Cool to room temperature, then stir in vanilla and oil. Add 1 cup of sugar to medium bowl, followed by remaining dry ingredients (you should have 1/4 cup of sugar remaining). Mix thoroughly, then mix cooled cocoa mixture into dry ingredients.
- At slow speed in an electric mixer, beat egg whites until foamy. Add cream of tartar, increase mixer speed to medium and beat to soft peaks. Increase mixer speed to high; beat whites until stiff and glossy. Slowly sprinkle in remaining 1/4 cup sugar and beat 15 seconds more. Fold egg whites gently but thoroughly into cocoa batter base.
- Divide batter evenly between pans. With rubber spatula, run batter to pan sides and smooth top. Bake cakes until they feel firm in center when lightly pressed and skewer comes out clean or with just a crumb or two adhering, 20 to 25 minutes. Tranfer pans to wire racks; cool for 20 minutes. Run knife around perimeter of each pan, invert cakes onto racks, and peel off paper liners. Reinvert cakes onto additional racks; cool completely before frosting.
- Beat egg whites at slow speed in electric mixer until frothy. Add vanilla, cream of tartar, and salt and beat at medium speed to soft peaks. Raise mixer speed to high and beat whites to stiff, glossy peaks. Turn off mixer. Combine sugar and water in a small saucepan and bring to boil over high heat, constantly and gently swirling pan by the handle. Cover and boil 2 minutes, then cover and boil until a candy thermometer registers 238 degrees (syrup will form soft, gum-like ball when dropped in ice water). With mixer at high speed, pour syrup in thin, steady stream into egg whites. Continue to beat until frosting is cool, 7 to 10 minutes. Apply frosting onto first cake layer and spread with a long metal spatula, top with second cake layer, top second layer with frosting, spread and then frost sides. Serve.
for the cake
for the meringue frosting
Time
2 hours, plus 2 hours 20 minutes coolingYield
Serves 12Ingredients
Reduced-Guilt Chocolate Layer Cake
½ cup natural cocoa powder
2 teaspoons instant espresso powder, or instant coffee
1 cup boiling water
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
½ cup vegetable oil
1 ¼ cups granulated sugar
1 ¼ cups unbleached all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon table salt
4 large egg whites
¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
Meringue Frosting
3 large egg whites
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
⅛ teaspoon cream of tartar
Pinch table salt
1 ¼ cups granulated sugar
⅓ cup water
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
Reduced-Guilt Chocolate Layer Cake
½ cup natural cocoa powder
2 teaspoons instant espresso powder, or instant coffee
1 cup boiling water
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
½ cup vegetable oil
1 ¼ cups granulated sugar
1 ¼ cups unbleached all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon table salt
4 large egg whites
¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
Meringue Frosting
3 large egg whites
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
⅛ teaspoon cream of tartar
Pinch table salt
1 ¼ cups granulated sugar
⅓ cup water
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
Reduced-Guilt Chocolate Layer Cake
½ cup natural cocoa powder
2 teaspoons instant espresso powder, or instant coffee
1 cup boiling water
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
½ cup vegetable oil
1 ¼ cups granulated sugar
1 ¼ cups unbleached all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon table salt
4 large egg whites
¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
Meringue Frosting
3 large egg whites
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
⅛ teaspoon cream of tartar
Pinch table salt
1 ¼ cups granulated sugar
⅓ cup water
Test Kitchen Techniques
Why This Recipe Works
While developing our low-fat chocolate cake recipe we found very little difference between cakes baked with standard American cocoa and “Dutched” cocoa. We chose water over milk or buttermilk to moisten our cake batter, discovering that cakes made with dairy had a more muted chocolate flavor.
Before You Begin
Because this reduced-guilt chocolate cake contains less fat, it is springier and spongier than most chocolate cakes, and also not quite as rich.
Instructions
- Adjust oven rack to center position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease two 8-by-1 1/2-inch round baking pans with shortening. Line pan bottoms with waxed or parchment paper; grease paper as well. Dust pans with flour; tap out excess.
- Mix cocoa and instant coffee in small bowl; add boiling water and mix until smooth. Cool to room temperature, then stir in vanilla and oil. Add 1 cup of sugar to medium bowl, followed by remaining dry ingredients (you should have 1/4 cup of sugar remaining). Mix thoroughly, then mix cooled cocoa mixture into dry ingredients.
- At slow speed in an electric mixer, beat egg whites until foamy. Add cream of tartar, increase mixer speed to medium and beat to soft peaks. Increase mixer speed to high; beat whites until stiff and glossy. Slowly sprinkle in remaining 1/4 cup sugar and beat 15 seconds more. Fold egg whites gently but thoroughly into cocoa batter base.
- Divide batter evenly between pans. With rubber spatula, run batter to pan sides and smooth top. Bake cakes until they feel firm in center when lightly pressed and skewer comes out clean or with just a crumb or two adhering, 20 to 25 minutes. Tranfer pans to wire racks; cool for 20 minutes. Run knife around perimeter of each pan, invert cakes onto racks, and peel off paper liners. Reinvert cakes onto additional racks; cool completely before frosting.
- Beat egg whites at slow speed in electric mixer until frothy. Add vanilla, cream of tartar, and salt and beat at medium speed to soft peaks. Raise mixer speed to high and beat whites to stiff, glossy peaks. Turn off mixer. Combine sugar and water in a small saucepan and bring to boil over high heat, constantly and gently swirling pan by the handle. Cover and boil 2 minutes, then cover and boil until a candy thermometer registers 238 degrees (syrup will form soft, gum-like ball when dropped in ice water). With mixer at high speed, pour syrup in thin, steady stream into egg whites. Continue to beat until frosting is cool, 7 to 10 minutes. Apply frosting onto first cake layer and spread with a long metal spatula, top with second cake layer, top second layer with frosting, spread and then frost sides. Serve.
for the cake
for the meringue frosting
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