Mocha Spice Cake
makes 9 cups of batter

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for pans
3/4 cup Dutch-process cocoa powder, plus more for pans
3 cups light brown sugar, packed
4 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 tablespoons freshly grated ginger
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground clove
1 tablespoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon table salt
3 cups sifted cake flour (not self-rising)
1 cup sour cream
1 1/2 cups hot coffee


Batter amounts and approximate baking times: 6-inch layer, 3 1/2 cups, 75
minutes; 10-inch layer, 10 cups, 1 hour and 50 minutes; 14-inch layer, 18
cups, 2 hours and 10 minutes.

Place rack in center of oven, and preheat oven to 325 degrees. Butter
pans, line bottoms with parchment circles, and butter again. Dust pans and
liners with cocoa powder, and tap out excess; set aside. In bowl of mixer
fitted with paddle attachment, cream butter on medium until light. Add
brown sugar and eggs; beat on medium-high until fluffy, about 2 minutes.
Add vanilla, cocoa, fresh ginger, ground ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, clove,
baking soda, and salt; mix well. With mixer on low, add a third of flour;
mix just until combined. Add half of sour cream; mix. Repeat with
remaining flour and sour cream, ending with flour. Pour coffee into
batter; mix until smooth. Pour batter into pans. Bake, rotating 90 degrees
halfway through baking, until sides start to pull away from pan and a few
crumbs remain on a cake tester that has been inserted in center and
removed (batter amounts and baking times follow). Let cool slightly in
pans on wire rack. Trim tops level with tops of pans. Set precut
corresponding foam boards on top of each tier; invert cakes, and unmold.
The contoured top sides will now be facing up. Return cakes, on boards,
to rack; let cool completely. Wrap each cake layer with plastic wrap;
chill overnight. Martha Stewart


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