Chocolate Yeast Cake with Brown Butter Frosting

by cakeduchess on July 26, 2012 · 42 comments

I can’t tell you how relieved I was to bake something that wasn’t with mangoes. Maybe you also are feeling a little relief. I didn’t realize that mangoes are such a hit or miss fruit with people. Kind of like cilantro.

I really had no idea all these years until I started food blogging that people can really dislike cilantro. I happen to like cilantro. But I’ve heard some people have huge aversions to it and some even say it tastes like soap. And mangoes. I can honestly tell you, I don’t like other mangoes. I only like my mangoes. I know. I’m sort of a mango snob. But I have yet to try a mango that is good as mine. So to all my friends that left me a comment telling me you don’t like mangoes, it’s because you haven’t tried ours yet. And if they weren’t so heavy, I would ship you some to try.

My neighbor Rose has a humongous mango tree. It actually looks like three trees…but it’s just one. She’s never offered me her mangoes and vice-versa. I guess why bother when we both have them. But yesterday, I happened to catch her bringing some mangoes to our neighbor. She told me she had 1000′s of mangoes this year from her tree (thousands!). I had to ask her for one; I was just curious if it was as good as ours. I asked her if we have the same type of mango. She said they were different and that some of hers weigh over 3 lbs. I’ve read that there are over 100 types of mangoes. And guess what, her mango just wasn’t as good as ours. The flavor was just odd. So I know how you mango haters feel. There are just some mangoes that aren’t as nice as others.

Enough about mangoes. I got slightly off topic and really should be focusing on this amazing chocolate delight. It has been way too long since I’ve baked with chocolate. I couldn’t wait to try another Red Star Yeast recipe for our baking collaboration. My Fresh Apple Cake was a hit. It has consistently been one of my most visited posts since I wrote about it; I’m thrilled you all liked it as much as we did.

The summer months are made for baking with fresh berries and stone fruit, but every once and a while you need a decadent chocolate break. This chocolate yeast cake had the same perfect fluffiness and softness as the fresh apple cake did. I don’t usually bake my cakes with shortening. I happen to always have some on hand for my pie crusts and didn’t think twice about using it for this recipe. I think the shortening adds a little more moisture to the cake. You can read about butter vs. shortening in cakes here. I baked mine in my bundt pan. I love to see the frosting cascading down the sides of the cake. You can use a 13×9-inch pan if you prefer. It will still be wonderful.

Chocolate Yeast Cake with Brown Butter Frosting
recipe used with permission from Red Star Yeast

Ingredients:

3 cups all-purpose flour
2 1/4 tsp Active Dry Yeast
1 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
1 cup sugar
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/4 cups milk

1/4 cup water
1 cup shortening
2 squares unsweetened chocolate, melted
1 tsp vanilla
3 eggs

Brown Butter Frosting
Ingredients:

1/4 cup butter or margarine
2 cups powdered sugar
3 to 4 tablespoons milk
1/2 tsp vanilla

Oven 350°F

In large mixer bowl, combine flour, yeast, brown sugar, sugar, soda and salt; mix well. In saucepan, heat milk and water to 120-130°F; add to flour mixture. Add shortening, chocolate, vanilla and eggs. Blend at low speed until moistened; beat 2 minutes at medium speed. Pour into bundt pan (or 13 x 9-inch pan which has been greased on the bottom only). Cover; let rise in warm place 30 minutes. While cake is rising, preheat to 350 F. Bake at 350°F for 45 to 50 minutes until top springs back when touched lightly in center. Cool completely. Remove from bundt pan onto cake plate and frost with Brown Butter Frosting.

Brown Butter Frosting: Melt butter or margarine until golden brown. Add to powdered sugar, milk and vanilla. Mix until of spreading consistency.

Disclosure – This post was sponsored by Red Star Yeast. All opinions are my own.

I have to know since I started the discussion: Cilantro- LOVE IT or Not so much?