David wrote:

>Should a chocolate cake typically contain
>salt? Watching cooking shows it seems
> that just about everything should be
> seasoned, according to professional
> chefs, but there's no salt in the
> ingredients. It's a boiled chocolate cake
> (some ingredients, inc. water, baking
> soda boiled and cooled before eggs,
> flour added). The butter is listed simply
> as "butter". Commercial butter is
> normally salted to an unknown degree.
> If I use unsalted butter should salt be
> added; if so how much for a
> standard-sized cake?

It probably would be best if you had posted the complete
recipe/instructions here, as then it would be easier to answer your
questions. I'm not sure what you mean by a "boiled chocolate cake"
exactly? I have one that I make that is heavy, moist and delicious,
where boil the butter, water and cocoa together and then in a large
bowl, mix the flour, sugar, dry baking cocoa, baking soda and salt. Add
eggs and hot liquid, beating with electric mixer till combined. It is
frosted with a boiled chocolate icing, that is spread on when cake comes
out of the oven.

I've been baking cakes since I was 9 years old and have won ribbons with
them and have never used unsalted butter, always use my Kitchen Aid
electric mixer and always cut the salt in at least half, but I do use
some salt in all baked goods with regular butter.

>2. If I bake and ice the cake on Monday
> and keep it in the fridge will it still be in
> good shape on Friday? (i.e., no
> noticeable degradation).

It should keep fine in the refrigerator (well covered) but why do you
want to make it so far ahead of serving?

>3. I have a vague recollection of asking
> this before, but there was no magic
> solution. The mixture is very wet before
> the flour is added and you always get
> bits of flour that will not mix in. My
> mother solved this by using an electric
> mixer or blender, but I don't think the
> cake was as good as when the flour was
> mixed in gently by hand (and you put up
> with a few small flour pockets). Is there
> another technique whereby I can mix in
> the flour evenly by without any
> detriment to the cake?

As I said above, I always use my Kitchen Aid for mixing with great
success. There shouldn't be bits of flour, if have mixed all the dry
ingredients together and then add the wet; beating until well mixed.

Good Luck!

Judy