I tried the chocolate cake that Ina Garten said is the 'most fabulous' she's ever made, and it's the perfect dessert

Anneta KonstantinidesFeb 3, 2024, 00:32 IST

I made Beatty's Chocolate Cake, which Ina Garten said is the "most fabulous cake" she's ever made.Anneta Konstantinides/Insider

I made Beatty's Chocolate Cake, which Ina Garten said is the "most fabulous cake" she's ever made.
The chocolate cake and buttercream frosting both feature coffee — the special secret ingredient.

I've been cooking my way through Ina Garten's recipes to gain more confidence in the kitchen. And after mastering quite a few of her delicious pastas, I decided it was time to try some "Barefoot Contessa" desserts.

I couldn't believe how fun and easy it was to make Garten's delicious mocha chocolate icebox cake, which she once proclaimed was so good "it makes grown men weep."

I've wanted to bake more "Barefoot Contessa" desserts ever since, and I knew the next one had to be Garten's famous chocolate cake recipe.

Ina Garten doesn't just love Beatty's Chocolate Cake. She said it's "the most fabulous chocolate cake that I've ever made."

Garten learned of Beatty's Chocolate Cake from a good friend.Peter Kramer/NBC/NBC Newswire/NBCUniversal via Getty Images

Garten's favorite chocolate cake includes some classic baking supplies — plus her secret ingredient.

Beatty's Chocolate Cake includes cocoa powder, vanilla, and freshly-brewed hot coffee.Anneta Konstantinides/Insider

You'll also need supplies for the chocolate buttercream frosting.

The buttercream frosting includes semisweet chocolate and instant coffee.Anneta Konstantinides/Insider

It was time to get baking! But first I needed to prep the cake pans.

I buttered my cake pans, lined them with parchment paper, then added more butter and flour.Anneta Konstantinides/Insider

Then I began mixing my dry ingredients.

First I added the flour, sugar, and cocoa.Anneta Konstantinides/Insider

I sifted everything together into my mixing bowl.

I also sifted the baking soda, baking powder, and salt.Anneta Konstantinides/Insider

I returned the bowl to my mixer and turned it to low speed.

It only took a few seconds to mix everything together.Anneta Konstantinides/Insider

Then I got started on the wet ingredients.

First I added the buttermilk.Anneta Konstantinides/Insider

Then I added the eggs, vegetable oil, and vanilla.

Then I added the eggs and vanilla.Anneta Konstantinides/Insider

I gave my wet ingredients a quick stir.

Give everything a quick mix.Anneta Konstantinides/Insider

I slowly added the mixture into my bowl of dry ingredients.

I poured my wet ingredients into the mixer, which was on low speed.Anneta Konstantinides/Insider

Then it was time to add the special secret ingredient.

Then I added the coffee — Garten's secret ingredient.Anneta Konstantinides/Insider

My batter was ready!

I used a spatula to scrape the bottom of the bowl.Anneta Konstantinides/Insider

I carefully poured the batter into my cake pans.

I poured the batter evenly into my cake pans.Anneta Konstantinides/Insider

Then I threw my pans into the oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

I baked the cakes for around 40 minutes.Anneta Konstantinides/Insider

My cakes already looked beautiful when they came out of the oven.

Garten says to let the cakes cool in their pans for 30 minutes.Anneta Konstantinides/Insider

Once 30 minutes were up, I took my cakes out of their pans.

I then let my cakes cool completely out of the pans.Anneta Konstantinides/Insider

As my cakes finished cooling, I got started on the frosting.

To make my frosting, I first chopped up all my chocolate.Anneta Konstantinides/Insider

Once my chocolate was chopped, it was time to get melting.

I used a bain-marie to melt my chocolate.Anneta Konstantinides/Insider

I stirred the chocolate until it was just melted.

After my chocolate melted, I let it cool to room temperature.Anneta Konstantinides/Insider

After my chocolate had cooled, I got started on the rest of the frosting.

I beat my butter for three minutes, until it turned fluffy.Anneta Konstantinides/Insider

Then it was time for some sugar.

Then I added my sifted powdered sugar.Anneta Konstantinides/Insider

I beat everything together at medium speed.

I used a spatula to scrape down the bowl as I beat the mixture.Anneta Konstantinides/Insider

Then I needed to prep the instant coffee.

Garten also adds coffee to the frosting.Anneta Konstantinides/Insider

I added the chocolate and coffee to my butter mixture.

I mixed everything together on low speed.Anneta Konstantinides/Insider

It was time to get frosting!

I carefully stacked my cakes.Anneta Konstantinides/Insider

Once the cakes were stacked, I spread frosting all over the top and sides.

I covered the entire cake with my buttercream frosting.Anneta Konstantinides/Insider

As I cut into the cake, I could already tell it was going to be super moist.