Weekly Recipe: Cocoa Spice Cake By Carla Hall

Anyone who loves food and pop culture is surely familiar with chef Carla Hall. She's was a beloved contestant on Top Chef, cohosts The Chew and is always popping up on television and around the country to bring fans deliciously seasonal recipes and engaging infotainment.

Recently, she made an appearance at the Wequassett Resort and Golf Club in Massachusetts to prepare a beautiful winter menu. The meal was titled "dinner for the soul" and came complete with a cocoa spice cake topped with chocolate glaze that makes our mouth water just to think about.

See also: Weekly Recipe: Eggnog French Toast From St. Pierre Bakery

Thankfully, she’s sharing the full recipe for that cake and glaze with our readers below!

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This cake serves 10 to 12, depending on how you slice it, but it is sure to be a hit with the whole family no matter the occasion. It doesn’t have to be winter to enjoy this mix of cinnamon, nutmeg, star anise and cocoa, but it does pair perfectly well with the holidays.

Cocoa Spice Cake With Chocolate Glaze

Ingredients:

• 2- ¼ cups (9.5 ounces) all-purpose flour
• 1½ cups (10.5 ounces) granulated sugar
• ½ cup (3.75 ounces) brown sugar
• 1 tsp baking soda
• ½ tsp salt
• 1 tsp smoked or regular ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1 tsp ground star anise
• 12 ounces root beer
• 1 cup butter
• ¼ cup (3/4 ounce) cocoa powder
• 2 large eggs
• ½ cup buttermilk
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp freshly grated ginger

Chocolate Glaze

• ¼ cup root beer
• ¼ cup unsalted butter
• 2 tbsp cocoa powder
• 8 ounces of confectioner’s sugar
• ⅛ tsp ground nutmeg
• ⅛ tsp ground star anise
• ¼ tsp salt

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Grease a half-sheet pan and set aside.
3. Whisk together the flour, sugars, baking soda, salt and ground spices in a large bowl until combined. Bring the root beer, butter and cocoa powder to a boil, stirring occasionally in a small saucepan, then take off the heat.
4. In a small bowl, whisk together the eggs, buttermilk, and vanilla extract, then add to the flour mixture, stirring until moistened. Stir in the cooled root beer mixture, then fold in the freshly grated ginger until just combined. Evenly distribute the batter in the cake pan.
5. Bake for 33 to 35 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean and the cake comes away from the side of the pan. Allow the cake to cool for 15 minutes in the pan on a rack, then invert onto the rack and let it cool until just slightly warm.
6. To prepare the ganache, bring the root beer to a boil in a small saucepan, then stir in the butter and cocoa powder until completely smooth.
7. Pour the root beer mixture into a large bowl, then whisk in the confectioner’s sugar, spices, and salt until smooth and glossy. While the cake is still slightly warm, pour the ganache over the top of the cake, allowing it to drip down the sides. Can be stored at room temperature up to three days.

Follow chef Carla Hall on Instagram for more delicious dishes and inspiration.