How to Make One of Ina Garten's Favorite Chocolate Cakes

Aug 20, 2023

Neither cooking nor baking has ever been my forte, but I forced myself to start learning when the world went into lockdown and I didn't want to survive solely on takeout and frozen Trader Joe's meals.

I grew up watching "Barefoot Contessa" reruns on the Food Network, and had always felt calmed by Garten's presence. I knew her easy and foolproof dishes would help me feel less intimidated in the kitchen.

Fast-forward three years and I've made dozens of Garten's recipes, mastering everything from breakfast to pasta. I find baking to be much tougher than cooking, but Garten's cookbooks have slowly given me confidence.

Garten's desserts always shine when chocolate is involved. I love her easy and delicious no-bake mocha chocolate icebox cake, which she once proclaimed was so good "it makes grown men weep." I'm also a huge fan of her Beatty's Chocolate Cake recipe, which Garten said is "the most fabulous chocolate cake that I've ever made."

And Garten once said her chocolate cake with mocha icing is a "dessert everyone will remember," so of course I had to try it.

To make Garten's chocolate cake, which serves 12, you'll need:

To make the frosting for a 9-inch by 13-inch cake, you'll need:

I buttered my 9-inch by 13-inch baking pan, then lined the bottom of it with parchment paper. Once that was done, I buttered and floured the entire pan.

"There's no point in making a cake if you can't get it out of the pan," Garten said in the "Barefoot Contessa" episode where she demonstrated this recipe.

I sifted the flour, baking soda, and salt together in a bowl.

I added the hot tap water, cocoa powder, and espresso powder to a liquid measuring cup and whisked them together.

Then I added the half-and-half and whisked again until the mixture was smooth.

First I placed the sugar and butter (remember, it has to be room temperature) into the bowl of my electric mixer, which was fitted with the paddle attachment.

I knew the mixture was ready once it had turned light and fluffy.

The eggs should be added one at a time, on medium speed, until they're incorporated and the batter is smooth.

Garten says the flour and chocolate mixtures should be added alternately in thirds, starting and ending with the flour mixture.

I used a rubber spatula to scrape down the bowl and make sure the batter was well mixed.

Now it was ready to bake.

Garten says the cake should bake for 25 to 35 minutes. When your cake tester (or knife) comes out clean from the center, you'll know it's ready.

I let it sit for about 45 minutes. By the time my frosting was ready, the cake had cooled.

First I chopped my chocolate into ¼-inch pieces, per Garten's instructions.

Garten explained in the "Barefoot Contessa" episode that she uses the instant espresso powder to help enhance the chocolate flavor.

Garten says you should heat the cream to a simmer.

I continued to stir the mixture until the chocolate had melted.

If your chocolate isn't melting, don't stress! Garten says you can just pop it in the microwave for 15 seconds.

I stirred everything until the mixture was smooth.

Garten says you shouldn't leave the frosting in the fridge for longer than 30 minutes. It should be cool, but not cold.

Garten says to mix your frosting on high speed for about 15 to 20 seconds, until the mixture forms soft peaks. Make sure not to overbeat it or the frosting will curdle.

I should note I struggled a bit to get the right consistency with this frosting. When I first took it out of the fridge, the frosting just didn't look thick enough. I let it chill for another 10 minutes before I beat it with the mixer, but it still didn't look as whipped as it did in the "Barefoot Contessa" episode.

In the end, though, the flavor was still delicious and it spread easily on the cake, so don't worry too much if you're having similar issues.

I carefully flipped my cake onto a serving board, per Garten's recommendation, then removed the parchment paper.

Garten says you should use a metal spatula to evenly spread the frosting over your cake.

I loved the old-fashioned charm of the thick squares with frosting on top. While it didn't have the centerpiece appeal of Garten's mocha icebox cake, it still looked super delicious.

I loved the moist texture, which reminded me of Beatty's Chocolate Cake. I've had many chocolate cakes that are too dense and heavy, but there's a springiness and lightness to Garten's recipe that really helps balance everything. And while it's not overly sweet, the instant espresso powder really brings out that chocolate flavor in both the cake and its mocha frosting.

I will say that I didn't love the mocha frosting as much as the buttercream in Beatty's Chocolate Cake. The consistency of the buttercream paired better with the cake, and the flavor was more memorable. If I made this again, I might try swapping the frostings.

Garten's chocolate cake with mocha icing is definitely a bit easier to make than her Beatty's Chocolate Cake recipe, although I'd pick the latter if the two had to go up against each other.

But this chocolate cake is still a delicious dessert that is sure to impress anyone with a sweet tooth, and it's a great option when you have a little less time (and want to do fewer dishes).

And if you're looking for a super easy dessert to whip up on a hot summer's day, look no further than her tiramisu or mocha icebox cake.

Want more delicious recipes from Ina Garten? Try out some dishes from her popular cookbook:

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