Old-Fashioned Chocolate Cake
From my favorite low-calorie dessert to my (new) favorite high-calorie dessert. I was excited to make a chocolate cake as I hadn't made one in quite a while, but I never expected this cake to be this good. It is literally the best chocolate anything I have ever tasted. I used to think that Nigella Lawson's sour cream chocolate cake was the best chocolate invention, but this cake is so incredibly luscious ... and ... chocolaty ... and ... delicious ... and ... smooth ... *sighs*. Rating:
Old-Fashioned Chocolate Cake: MarthaStewart.com
Ingredients:
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, finely chopped
- ½ cup whole milk
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 2 large egg yolks, plus 1 large egg white, room temperature
- ¼ cup (½ stick) unsalted butter, softened
- ½ cup packed light-brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon pure almond extract
- ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Instructions:
- Preheat oven to 350. Coat an 8-inch round cake pan with cooking spray. Cut an 8-inch round of parchment paper, and place in bottom of pan. Coat parchment with cooking spray. Dust with flour, tapping out excess; set aside.
- Sift flour, baking soda, and salt into a medium bowl; set aside.
- Put chocolate, ¼ cup milk, the granulated sugar, and 1 egg yolk into a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water. Stir until thickened; set aside.
- Put butter and brown sugar into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on medium speed until smooth. Mix in remaining yolk. Reduce speed to medium-low. Mix in flour mixture in 3 batches, alternating with ¼ cup water, remaining ¼ cup milk, and extracts. Mix in chocolate mixture.
- Beat egg white to soft peaks; fold into batter with a rubber spatula. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake until a cake tester inserted into center comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack 20 minutes. Run a knife around edges of cake to loosen; turn out onto rack. Remove parchment; let cool completely.
- Using a long, serrated knife, halve cake horizontally. Place bottom half, cut side up, on a cake stand; spread with 1 cup frosting. Top with remaining half; spread frosting over entire cake.
Old-Fashioned Chocolate Frosting: MarthaStewart.com
Ingredients:
- 1 ½ cups confectioners' sugar
- 3 tablespoons unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
- Pinch of salt
- 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
- 4 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
- 7 ounces bittersweet chocolate, melted
- ⅔ cup sour cream
Instructions:
- Sift sugar, cocoa powder, and salt into a medium bowl; set aside.
- Put butter and cream cheese into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on medium-high until fluffy. Reduce speed to low. Gradually add sugar mixture. Mix in chocolate and sour cream. Use immediately!
TOO delicious!
Comments
xx
I'm a new follower, found your gorgeous blog after doing a google search for which book Nigella's London Cheesecake was in.
Carmen
I've only just discovered your site and I think I'll be returning often - it's lovely! x
Liliana
They were delicious and gone within half an hour!
xx
Just wondering - would it be ok to split the mix into two cake tins, rather than bake it whole and cut in half? I've been meaning to replace our larger cake tin but haven't managed it yet!
Thanks!