Chocolate Cake

 

INGREDIENTS:

* 1 ½ cup (195 g) cake and pastry flour

* 1 ⅓ cup (295 g) superfine (quick dissolve) sugar

* ½ cup (60 g) Dutch process cocoa powder

* ¾ tsp (4 g) baking soda

* ¼ tsp (2 g) salt

* ½ cup (115 g) cool, unsalted butter, cut into pieces

* ½ cup (125 ml) hot, strong brewed coffee

* ½ cup (125 ml) milk

* 1 tsp (5 ml) vanilla extract

* 2 large large eggs, room temperature

INGREDIENTS FOR THE FUDGE:

FROSTING:

* 12 oz (340 g) semisweet chocolate, chopped

* 1 ¾ (425 ml) cup whipping cream

* ½ cup (125 ml) sour cream

* ½ (3 ml) tsp vanilla extract

* 1 pinch salt

INSTRUCTIONS:

BAKING DIRECTIONS FOR THE CAKE:

1. To make the cake, preheat the oven to 180°C. Grease 2 8-inch cake pans and line bottoms with parchment paper. Flour the sides of the pan, tapping out excess.

2. Sift the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt into a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Add the butter, chopping in (use an electric mixer if using in a large bowl) until the mixture is finely broken up (like the texture of fine breadcrumbs) and no chunks of butter are visible.

3. Combine the hot coffee, milk, and vanilla and add to the flour mixture all at once, beating until smooth. In a small bowl, crack the eggs and stir with a fork, then add them to the batter and beat again on medium speed until smooth (batter will be very runny). Divide batter evenly among prepared pans and tap countertop to remove air bubbles.

4. Bake cake until a tester inserted into center of cake comes out clean, about 30 minutes. Cool the cake in the pan for 20 minutes, then invert onto a cooling rack to cool completely to room temperature. The cake can be baked a day ahead, wrapped and stored at room temperature before frosting.