Chocolate Chip Layer Cake

I liked the Oreo Cake recipe so much, I decided to see how it would taste with mini chocolate chips instead.

I did alter Preppy Kitchen's recipe more than the first time, though.  Reading over my notes, I attempted to reduce the doming by subbing in half cake flour.  It did work some, and the cakes developed fewer large holes.  Next time, maybe I'll use all cake flour.

And I avoided the cinnamon chip mini-disaster by coating these in flour.  Still lost a few on the paper, but they're evenly distributed.

The two layers above are 6".  I didn't do the full recipe because I'm getting tired of all these tall cakes.  Sometimes, you need height for a specific design.  The rest of the time, you just end up with a lot of cake.  There were only two desserts at Melody Smurf's party, a 9" two-layer cake and a trifle.  (I made another Painted Cake, since Melody Smurf liked that it had a British Garden theme.)  That was plenty for 40 people who had been snacking all evening.  Maybe this is why I don't like cake; I always feel like there's too much.  Or, because I'm not partial to frosting.  It's a tossup.

1 C all-purpose flour
1 C cake flour
1 C sugar
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp kosher salt
3/4 C margarine
3 egg whites (boxed ok)
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 C sour cream or Greek yogurt
*1/2 C milk
*1 C mini chocolate chips

1.  Grease and line with wax paper three 6" cake pans.  Start soaking baking strips.  Preheat oven to 340º.

2.  Stir together 1/4 C of the flour and the mini chips.  Set aside.  Sift together remaining flour, cake flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.

3.  In mixer with the paddle, beat margarine until smooth.  Beat in flour mixture until crumbly (reverse creaming method).  Scrape bowl and mix a few more seconds.

4.  Combine wet ingredients.  That coffee looking concoction is what happens when you spill the vanilla a little into the mix.  It was maybe double what it was supposed to be.  Stir into flour crumbles until just combined. This batter is a little more forgiving because of the two different flours, but you still don't want to over-mix.  Add floured chips and stir until distributed.

5.  Divide batter between pans, using a scale to check for evenness.  Fit wet baking strips around cake pans and bake for 25-30 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean.  Cool on a rack in the pan after removing baking strips for 10 minutes.  Turn out and remove wax paper.  Cool fully before icing or wrapping and freezing for another day.

Makes 3 6" layers or 2 8" layers, about 16 servings

Difficulty rating  :)