What went wrong with my chocolate cake?

[Anonymous]

Okay y'all I need the DCUM hive mind on this one.

I made the same recipe i always make (https://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/moms-chocolate-cake). However, instead of the batter looking like a rich, deep chocolate brown, it developed this light hot chocolate color, even a little foamy, in the mixing bowl. When I stirred it, it was dark chocolate underneath, but after I poured it into the baking dish, the batter it got that foamy light color again.

Anyway, against my better judgement i put the cake in the oven and as it baked, lots of bubbles formed on top. And the cake itself was sticky and undercooked and had like little holes in the top when I took it out. I even baked it like 7 min longer than normal, and it was still this inedible, sticky, undercooked-looking mess.

I am stumped. What went wrong?

[Anonymous]

You’re sure you didn’t miss an egg?

[Anonymous]

What kind of chocolate did you use?

[Anonymous]

I included the egg (halved recipe but I always do). I used ghidadelli 60% semisweet baking bar which is not my first choice (they were out of the orange bakers chocolate bar I usually use) but thr ghiradelli worked fine last time I made the cake.

[Anonymous]

Sounds like your butter separated. Either that, or the water and sugar didn't come together on the stove.

[Anonymous]

"To Replace: 1 ounce unsweetened chocolate

3 tablespoons cocoa powder + 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
[or]
1 1/2 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate (remove 1 tablespoon sugar from recipe)"

https://www.cooksillustrated.com/how_tos/5532-how-to-substitute-chocolates

[Anonymous]

There is a lot of baking powder and baling soda in there and no acid to counter it. I would have poured a tablespoon of white (or cider) vinegar on the baking soda before adding it in.

[Anonymous]

OP here, thanks for all your insights.

When I unloaded the dishwasher this morning I found the teaspoon I used. I thought it was a 1/4 teaspoon but in fact it was a 1 and 1/4 teaspoon (why do I even have that?? why is that even a kind of teaspoon?) So the answer was I added like 5 times as much baking soda and baking powder as the recipe called for.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here, thanks for all your insights.

When I unloaded the dishwasher this morning I found the teaspoon I used. I thought it was a 1/4 teaspoon but in fact it was a 1 and 1/4 teaspoon (why do I even have that?? why is that even a kind of teaspoon?) So the answer was I added like 5 times as much baking soda and baking powder as the recipe called for.

Ah ha. Mystery solved.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here, thanks for all your insights.

When I unloaded the dishwasher this morning I found the teaspoon I used. I thought it was a 1/4 teaspoon but in fact it was a 1 and 1/4 teaspoon (why do I even have that?? why is that even a kind of teaspoon?) So the answer was I added like 5 times as much baking soda and baking powder as the recipe called for.

That’s hilarious! I have a 1 and 1/4 measuring cup that I love, but my mother misuses it every time because she doesn’t realize it includes and extra 1/4 cup. I’m curious as to why the extra 1/4, too!

[Anonymous]

Is it "old" chocolate? like very dry chocolate that should have an expiration date but you didn't see when it expires.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here, thanks for all your insights.

When I unloaded the dishwasher this morning I found the teaspoon I used. I thought it was a 1/4 teaspoon but in fact it was a 1 and 1/4 teaspoon (why do I even have that?? why is that even a kind of teaspoon?) So the answer was I added like 5 times as much baking soda and baking powder as the recipe called for.

That’s hilarious! I have a 1 and 1/4 measuring cup that I love, but my mother misuses it every time because she doesn’t realize it includes and extra 1/4 cup. I’m curious as to why the extra 1/4, too!

That's so weird, they sell something like that?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here, thanks for all your insights.

When I unloaded the dishwasher this morning I found the teaspoon I used. I thought it was a 1/4 teaspoon but in fact it was a 1 and 1/4 teaspoon (why do I even have that?? why is that even a kind of teaspoon?) So the answer was I added like 5 times as much baking soda and baking powder as the recipe called for.

That’s hilarious! I have a 1 and 1/4 measuring cup that I love, but my mother misuses it every time because she doesn’t realize it includes and extra 1/4 cup. I’m curious as to why the extra 1/4, too!

That's so weird, they sell something like that?

I think that is a teaspoon meant for measuring yeast. I have one that came with a jar of yeast.