Skinny jeans make me crave chocolate cake.
Umm. Weird. Why would I say that?
(you can back away slowly now. no sudden movements. who knows what I might do.)
OH! Ha. Not wearing skinny jeans. No no no. I don’t do that.
Mostly because wearing skinny jeans makes me crave broccoli.
And no one wants a broccoli-craving skinny jean-wearing girl at their party. True story.
But seeing skinny jeans. On other people. On a whole subculture of people. That’s another story.
As soon as I stepped on the L train to take me to Williamsburg (Brooklyn) this weekend (to go to an uber fab party hosted by Gojee!), a.k.a. “the land of hipsters”. There they were. En masse.
Men. Women. Children. Small dogs. Someone’s great grandmother.
All in skinny jeans.
Then there was me in my summer dress. Empire waist, baby. REPRESENT.
(Bull.In.A.China.Shop.)
Maybe it’s the Italian mother in me, but I just wanted to sit that whole subway car down with a large hunk of deep dark chocolate layer cake and force them to eat it. Matilda-style.
(It might also be my inner sadist who wanted to see all of their jeans buttons burst at the same time. Hmm.)
Instead, I did the next best thing.
I made one for my roommate’s birthday. And my friends and I ate it.
I may not be able to stop the entire hipster community of Williamsburg (a.k.a. the entire population of Williamsburg) from wearing skinny jeans. But I can sure as hell keep them away from everyone I associate with on a daily basis.
Otherwise I might have to start to think about fitting into mine. And like I said before.
Broccoli, people. Nobody wants that.
Unlike Anu’s cake last year, which was almost too intense to eat, this was delicious and rich without being overly so. The cake was light and chocolatey with the real decadence being in the filling and ganache. And then, of course, there’s the Nutella. Need I say more?
Chocolate Cake with Raspberry-Nutella Filling and Chocolate Ganache
Makes 1 9-inch, 4 layer cake, adapted from Sugar Plum
Ingredients
- 3 eggs
- 2 cups cake flour
- 1/2 cup dark, unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 tbsp baking powder
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
- 2 tsp vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract
- 4 oz bittersweet chocolate chips, melted
- 1 1/2 cups almond milk or regular milk
- 2 cups Nutella, warmed slightly
- 1 cup raspberry preserves, warmed slightly
- 2/3 cup heavy whipping cream
- 8 oz bittersweet chocolate chips
- 3/4 cup finely chopped hazelnuts
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350. Grease and flour 2 9-inch cake pans.
- In a medium mixing bowl, using a mixer on high speed, beat egg whites (reserving the yolks) until stiff peaks form. Set aside.
- In a medium mixing bowl, sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, with the mixer on medium speed, cream together butter and sugar until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Beat in egg yolks, vanilla, and melted chocolate until combined. Reduce mixer speed to low and gradually mix in flour, alternating with milk, until just combined, scraping down the bowl after each addition. Fold in egg whites in three additions, until combined.
- Divide batter into cake pans. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until cake pulls away from the side of the pan and a toothpick inserted comes out with moist cake crumbs. Cool for 12 minutes on wire racks in the pan. Run a knife around the edge of the pan and invert onto wire rack to cool completely.
- Split each cake in half (I used the dental floss method). Spread a layer of Nutella and raspberry preserves on each cake layer, assembling the cake as you go.
- To make the ganache, heat cream in a small saucepan over medium heat. When it comes to a simmer, turn the heat off and whisk in the 8 oz chocolate chips until melted and smooth. Cool until it’s a good consistency and then pour and spread over the cake. Top with hazelnuts.
I am submitting this to Bake with Bizzy!
Skinny jeans are so 2008! I say go for the chocolate cake and bring back the baggy harem pants. Love the gorgeous, glossy icing on your cake 🙂
This cake looks like heaven!
Every time I think of Matilda I think of the chocolate cake scene and how much I wanted a huge hunk of that cake.
i’m all about the summer dresses – people think you’re just trying to be cute when really it’s the easiest thing to put on because you don’t have to worry about matching AND there’s no buttons to pop!
Nice flavours, no wonder they disappeared. BTW did your roommate manage to get a slice?:)
Skinny jeans? I meant..after you started food-blogging, you could still find “skinny” in the dictionary? LOL…nonono…let’s enjoy this moment and this gorgeous looking chocolate!
Love this, i don;t have to worry about my skinny jeans right now so I am all over this like white on rice! Pretty sure I even have a whole tub of nutella waiting to be used! AMAZING- who could resist.
I tagged you today so come see when you get a chance
omygoodness, Joanne. There are no words to describe how fantastic this looks to me.
I think I just gained 5lbs looking at this post. THANKSALOT 🙂
This is looks ridiculously good! I think I’ll need to eat 300 fennel and radish salads (see my latest post) to make up for eating one slice of this 😀 but it will be sooooo worth it
When are you available to be my roommate? This looks awesome. And, um, I may or may not have bought denim leggings. Lots of stretch, baby.
Wow, this looks simply amazing!!
Um, please make my birthday cake? Also, I went to Williamsburg for the first time last summer (I rarely venture to the outer boroughs). It was legit like a hipster amusement park. It was hard to believe.
Mmm…this looks amazing! BTW, I made your whole wheat zucchini banana bread twice already this week.
Um no, you need not say more than nutella. Skinny jeans be damned.
This could possibly be the MOST tempting chocolate cake post I’ve seen, and that’s saying a lot. I love the shot of the almost-finished-off cake. Luscious.
1) I want this for breakfast.
2) That is exactly why I had to move out of Williamsburg: the constant feeling of being under-dressed and over-fed (and that time the bouncer at Radegast laughed when I pulled out my ID and said “You’re old enough. Just go in.” Now THAT makes you need some chocolate cake.)
OMG that looks so good. (I say as I wipe the drool from my chin!) This is going on my have-to-make list!
simply gorgeous – can I please have one of these for my birthday (and I do like broccoli but when chocolate cake is around it is just not the same)
raspberry inside choco cake is a match made in heaven.
ever since i made one i’ve never gone back.
and now you’ve added nutella. genius kiddo.
(if you’re still interested in a guest post let me know–i go on vacation soon)
Photos of chocolate cake make me crave chocolate cake . Especially when nutella is involved. And raspberries. Wow.
I think “O.M.G.” represents best what I feel towards your cake. Moist and full of chocolate = perfection. Who cares about skinny jeans. I want the cake! 😀
Even healthy eaters and runners need to reward themselves once in a while!!!
HA! I looooove that you said Matilda-style! That is totally what I think of anytime I see a big, fat, moist chocolate cake! I’d love to go Bruce Bogtrotter on a cake one day… This one’s definitely worthy. Oh, and one word describes how I feel about skinny jeans (especially on myself, but on anyone in general)= EWWWW .
um- WOW – I don’t know what else to say. My birthday is in December can I place an order?
Summer dress, empire waist…oh yes. Skinny jeans…oh NOOOOO! They only remind me that I have 15 lbs to lose. Still. And shut.up. dark cocoa, cream, nutella – I die. If you were a good virtual adopted daughter you would have made this for my birthday. haha.
Raspberry nutella filling! Yum!
You made my day for referencing Matilda so perfectly. And for sharing a cake that looks so delicious and rich that of course I will have to make it and of course I will have to share it to spread the love. (and calories)
Thank you for the laugh this Wednesday morning. I’m waiting for the skinny jeans thing to go away but it just seems to want to hang on for dear life. Full disclosure: I have a pair and they are not too bad, if you get them with some stretch in them. But I’m still waiting for baggy to come back in. Amazing cake by the way.
Oh, Joanne. I have so much respect for you and so much love for that cake. I may don skinny jeans (not skinTIGHT jeans) to fit into my rain boots, but girl, you have got Williamsburg pegged. I’m so proud of you for making it out of that subway car alive! Your Matilda reference was perfect 🙂 BRUCE BRUCE BRUCE!
That cake looks freaking AWESOME. I’d be happy with the frosting-laden cardboard cake circle and some spare hazelnuts. Is it too early for chocolate cake right now?
This looks fantastic! I actually gasped when I saw the first picture. I NEED this cake not at all, but I want it badly.
I’m with you… feed them all chocolate cake and let’s watch the buttons pop off those skinny jeans! lol!
Oh my. You have outdone yourself this time. I can’t believe there isn’t any squash or wasabi in it though… 😉
Holy cow, this looks fabulous. I could never make it – I’d eat it *all*.
Hmmm nothing makes me crave chocolate cake, but skinny jeans make me crave a smaller bottom!
Gosh, I can’t remember the last time I wore skinny jeans. Or high heels. I like being old and boring…and comfortable shoes. I like my comfortable shoes. Now, chocolate cake? We will never ever part ways.
wow. this is a good enough reason to never wear skinny jeans 😉 fabulous. i hope you saved me a slice!
My daughter is drooling over my keyboard now. I guess I know what I am making this week.
Holy yumminess! I can’t make something like that unless it leaves the house… i’ll be over to help celebrate! 😉
Not that I would ever dare to wear skinny jeans, but I might threaten it if you promise to make me something like this cake to prevent it! 🙂 Wow.
You had me at chocolate cake. And Nutella. And ganache. And fine, raspberry.
Um… can I call dibs on that hunk of cake? I seriously need to make this. Chocolate and raspberries is one of my favorite combinations… and then you go and throw in Nutella!!!
Skinny jeans, pajama jeans. To-may-to, to-mah-to.
Maybe not.
I both love and hate you right now.
As if chocolate and raspberries weren’t amazing enough together, now you invited Nutella. I’m pretty excited to try this combo ASAP.
Skinny jeans make me want chocolate too. A deep bowl of melty chocolate to drown my hipster envy in. LOVING this cake!
I am bookmarking it and making it oh so soon 🙂
I am not a skinny jeans person either… lol
oh my GOODNESS – GIRL! I didn’t even read the post yet. The first picture took my breath away. Going back to read now…
I promise to stop wearing skinny jeans if you make this for my birthday. Deal?
This looks amazing! I love the combo of chocolate and raspberry…and I can’t imagine a cake that contains Nutella being bad 😉 Seems super moist too…will have to make it for the next friend who has a bday!
Yes, but even if you eat this, I’ll bet you can wear skinny jeans and look gorgeous.
Donna
After suffering through skinny jeans on my sons last year, I am SO glad they are gone from the stores that I visit. Jeans need more material than that. Seriously.
Great cake. Beautiful cake.
That cake is unreal….wow. I would love it! My 12 year old son wears skinny jeans but since his legs are very, very thin he can get away with that!!!
Joanne! That’s one intense chocolate cake. You’re insane 🙂 Here I am trying to get back into mine!
Just about everything makes me want chocolate cake. I can relate!
There’s no other place in the world that makes me feel more insecure about my fashions than New York. I remember I was on my way to a networking event and as I walked down the street I couldn’t help to notice that NO ONE was wearing open toed wedges. I mean NO ONE except me. I had a moment of weakness, stepped into a store and bought a shoes to wear that night. That city makes you do impulsive things!
Prize winning cake! This is incredible. You have outdone yourself!
Skinny jeans are evil. The entire city of Portland wears them.
Screw Williamsburg and their skinny jeans. I’d MUCH rather eat cake 🙂 especially this cake. It looks SO amazing!
Yum! I’m going bananas looking at your cake, Joanne.
Forget the harem pants. Throw on a muu muu! This looks so good I might have to try liking Nutella.
Best,
Bonnie
OH MY… Do you think it would work if you put some in the mail?
I mostly wear skinny jeans because they are the only jeans that don’t make me look skinnier. A contradiction? Weird but true.
So when I see you, I’ll slip on my skinny jeans, and you’ll bake this cake for me. Yes? 😉
Heavenly!!! 🙂 Skinny jeans are absurd… I’ve never worn them, because I maintain they look silly on everyone… Maybe this is just me wanting to feel better about the fact that I think they look silly on me, me who is already taller than most people on the subway anyway, which always makes me feel slightly like I stand out… So I LOVED your subway story! 🙂 And I MUST bake this gorgeous cake this weekend. 🙂
I’m more of a yoga pants girl myself- and they go perfectly with chocolate cake. This one is gorgeous! 🙂
The cake looks so yummy. I (force) feed people too. It makes me feel less guilty about eating it myself 😀
This cake looks so moist and deliciously rich! Your photos are beautiful!
Rich, decadent, delicious. I’ll take this cake over skinny jeans every time!
Such a great looking, rich and gorgeous chocolate cake.
OMGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG! Heaven on a plate!
That is too bad, Joanne…this is a virtual exploitation…how can you have that gorgeous bake all by yourself??
Ok seriously Joanne this is BS. You can’t make stuff like this in NY when I live in Australia. We need to get you on a plane right now, to make this while I stretch the hell out of my skinny jeans and find a way to fit into them after shoving this entire cake in my mouth at once.
Man alive that chocolate ganache looks good! I’m tempted to squeeze into skinny jeans and fly to NY asap so that you’ll see me and force feed me this cake.
I think your last recipe might go better with those skinny jeans. We can just pull out the sweats for this one! This cake looks beyond decadent & fabulous.
After eating (or at least seeing) such a gorgeous cake, nothing matters, the only size I would care of, would be the number of layers in the cake…
Pssst. Maternity jeans. I can eat all the cake I want. By the way, I’m not pregnant. Lovely cake. I’d dive bomb in for seconds.
No u didnt say more , actually u need not to say anything after the first pic , but made for a v interesting read that walked us up to a very yummy cake!
Oh all those layers and the yumminess inbetween , loveee it!
Happy birthday Anu , sure get some of the best cakes in town and an even better buddy !
Am I allowed to love both broccoli and skinny jeans AND your cake? Please? I don’t think they all have to be enemies . . . =)
Oh girl, this cake! Feel free to force me to eat this anytime. Skinny jeans be damned.
Wow, such a decadent cake here, sounds amazing with raspberry nutella filling!
now see these indulgence is what stopping me from getting back my flat tummy. You making me drool and drool and eat more chocolates.
That reminded me of this video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rCJ8mCV39M8
That cake is so beautiful with that rich, dark layer of ganache and nut topping. I need a party so I can make one (no skinny jeans allowed)!
How positively sinful – I could NEVER resist! Skinny jeans got nothing on you. Dresses are the way to go – I’ve been living in them this summer and eating lots of cake!
Honestly, only about 5 percent of the population actually looks good in skinny jeans. Another small percentage may fit into them, but truly, it’s not their most flattering look. You really have to be tall and — well — skinny to do them justice. The rest of us will be happy in our bootcut jeans, eating plenty of Nutella with a big smile on our faces. 😉
Oh. my….i dont think you really needed to say any more after the first PHOTO! My god it looks amazing!!!!! Im saving this one for suuuurrreee, what a recipe 🙂
if one day i am able to make something as awesome as this (or if i even try), i’m gonna throw a party. you’re invited.
Is it 3 9″ pans or only 2
that truly looks decadent! i wish someone made that for my birthday. mmmm
Oh dear…..you mixed raspberry with Nutella. How wonderful but yes, how fattening. I bet you don’t gain weight easily or you run it off.
Thanks for linking this on Bake with Bizzy.
I don’t get the skinny jean thing. Especially on men. NOT attractive. Makes me wonder how they get in and out of those things safely. Scary thought.
On another note, this cake is fab. 🙂
oh, joanne. this couldn’t be more decadent. it’s one of those things that, for me at least, slowly disappears as i’m trying to photograph it. 🙂
Wow. That is one incredible cake. I think that this is a good time to remind you that my birthday is only 4 short weeks away. And I have no skinny jeans. In fact, I don’t think I have any jeans. Hmmm. Anyway, I’d happily be your Bruce Bogtrotter. 😉
Hi there. ^_^ I made this today and it was really good! ^_^ It came out really nice and moist. My cakes/brownies usually dont because I use the stove to bake stuff. 😛 But these came out very nice, and baked in 10 minutes. ^_^
The only thing is, for some reason it wasn’t that sweet. D: Dont know why, but icing fixed that. ^_^
Thanks so much for this!
Who is eating all this food?
What a fabulous decadent cake!! I only wear my skinny jeans when I have cute boots I want to tuck them into and show off 🙂
Raspberry… Nutella…ganache…chocolate… be still my heart. One more reason I would love to be your roommate. Sure you don’t to move to Hawaii?!
😉
So your plans… tomorrow afternoon… are to hop on a train to the Woo, with this cake in tow, for arrival around 7:15pm when I get home from the gym, to celebrate my birthday. RIGHT???
I have just a few words for you – October 16th – My Birthday – And I want this cake. Got that?
Wow! This cake is amazing. I’d have to choose it over skinny jeans!
I want broccoli, Joanne! I have been wearing skirts because I injured my leg… and when I finally went to wear my pants yesterday they were more snug… gah! Skirts kept me in the dark! 😛 I need to bring back the broccoli!
OMG, I am crying-laughing right now (I do that, yes I’m weird)… you are hilarious. And I’m totally the bull in the china shop when I visit my sister in Brooklyn. She’s one of those hipsters 😉
I also want this cake. Now. 🙂
This looks heavenly.
Oh my! This looks so moist. Irresistible!
This is a lick your plate kind of cake!! My sister in law and stepdad would looove it.
Amazing clicks, Joanne! I just found your site through Foodgawker and I could stare at those clicks all day long. 🙂 Not only the pictures but also the recipe sounds simply irresistable and you have baked it to perfection. I would skip the skinny jeans for that choclate cake, anyday. 😉
[…] years ago…Chocolate Cake with Raspberry-Nutella Filling and Chocolate Ganache, Roasted Eggplant, Tomato and Tapenade Pizza with Goat […]
Question you say that you use three round pans did you really mean two since it’s a four layer cake? Im making this cake an i want to make sure i do everything correctly.
You are TOTALLY right, it should be two 9-inch pans! Sorry about that. I will change it in the recipe. Let me know if you have any more questions and keep me posted on how it turns out!!