Have you had the pleasure of experiencing Junior Bake Off, the Great British Baking Show spinoff featuring bakers aged 9 to 15? I was leery at first, anticipating a lot of mess and tears and rough bakes. And I wasn't wrong—I got all three in spades. What I didn't anticipate was how the show would thoroughly grip me, how my heart would break open for these young bakers, and how much they would inspire me to get back to baking.
With shorter arms, smaller hands, and far less dexterity, these kids tackled bakes that were just as ambitious as the ones attempted by their adult counterparts. A few episodes in, I was feeling decidedly lazy and unexceptional next to these impressive adolescents. It had been more than a year since I developed my own baking recipe, thanks to a wedding, a house purchase, and a disorienting celiac diagnosis. But thanks to the kids on JBO, I was finally feeling motivated to tie up my apron and create something delicious. And it was cake that I craved.
I was in the mood for something indulgent and decadent. Chocolate cake was my starting point; from there, I took every opportunity to add richness and depth. I browned butter to a nutty caramel hue. That browned butter—along with olive oil—provided rich, complex fat for the cake. I also stirred espresso powder into hot water and used that to thin out and tenderize the batter. The mocha flavor from the espresso added another layer of depth to the chocolate cake.
I wanted the frosting to mirror the flavors in the cake, so I made more espresso, added some cream and chocolate chips, and melted everything together. I whipped together butter and peanut butter, and then added powdered sugar, vanilla, my mocha chocolate, and a pinch of salt.
This cake is so moist, so tender, so deeply delicious—and it's also gluten-free. But I'm 99 percent certain it'll be just as delicious if you swap in all-purpose wheat flour.
Browned butter chocolate cake with nutty mocha buttercream
Cake
1 tbsp instant espresso
4 tbsp unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups flour (gluten-free all purpose or wheat all purpose)
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp kosher salt
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup olive oil
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
Boil water and measure out 1 cup. Stir in instant espresso til dissolved and set aside to cool.
Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Let it start to bubble. Gently stir til it turns toasty golden. Take off heat and set aside to cool.
Preheat oven to 350F.
In a mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and powder, and salt. Set aside.
In a larger mixing bowl, whisk together the white and brown sugars, browned butter, and olive oil.
Add the egg and vanilla to the wet mix and whisk til smooth and glossy.
Whisk about a third of the dry ingredients into the wet. Then whisk in about a third of the cooled espresso.
Repeat step 7 twice more. Batter should be smooth and glossy.
Pour batter into a greased 9” pan (used olive oil and parchment paper). Bake for 30-35 minutes. Stick a toothpick in the center of the cake to check for doneness. The pick should come out clean or with a few dry crumbs on it.
After the cake cools slightly, flip the pan upside down onto a cooling rack. If you lined with oil and parchment, cake should come right out. Let it cool completely before frosting.
Buttercream
1/2 tbsp espresso powder
2 tbsp cream
1/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup peanut butter (or other nut butter)
1 1/4 cups powdered sugar
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
pinch sea salt
Boil water and measure out 1 tbsp into a microwave-safe glass or bowl. Stir in the espresso powder and cream.
Pour the chocolate chips into the creamy espresso. Whisk til the chocolate is melted and smooth (microwave for 15-20 seconds if needed). Set aside.
Beat together the butter and nut butter. Add in the powdered sugar and vanilla and beat to incorporate.
Stir in the espresso chocolate and sea salt til the frosting is smooth and creamy.
For the love of god, frost the cake.
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