This cake is so good on cold winter days. A good cup of coffee would make icing on the cake! ?
Chocolate Cake
200 grams butter, softened (doesn’t matter salted or unsalted. If using unsalted add 1/4 teaspoon salt in the flour)
200 grams sugar
2 tablespoons sour cream
4 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste or extract
1 teaspoon ground coffee -premium , espresso powder works well too.
175 grams cake flour or regular all purpose flour
25 grams good quality cocoa- I use Fry’s Cocoa or Hershey’s
1 teaspoon Baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup warm water
Special Equipment
8 inch square cake pan-well greased and line the bottom with parchment paper.
Mixer
Method-
Pre-heat the oven at 325 Degrees Fahrenheit.
1) Measure out the butter and sugar in the mixer bowl and using a paddle start mixing at medium speed.
The mixture will be creamy and light (about 15 minutes)
2) In a second bowl while the butter and sugar is mixing, measure out the flour, cocoa, baking powder and baking soda .Sift it and keep aside.
3) In the butter-sugar mixture, add the sour cream. Mix well and add eggs one at a time beating well after each addition. Add the vanilla bean paste and continue mixing.
4) Stop the mixer and remove the paddle. Add the flour-cocoa mixture in two batches into the butter-sugar mixture. Mix using a spatula and fold it well. Add the rest of the flour-cocoa mixture and fold it a couple of time and then add the warm water. Fold the batter well till it is well mixed (avoid over mixing) and pour it out into the prepared cake pan.
5) Place the cake in the preheated oven on the center rack and bake it it for 35-40 minutes or when lightly patted it springs up back and is firm.
6) Remove it and let it stand in the pan for 5 minutes before turning it out on wire rack to cool completely.
Chocolate Whipped Cream
2 cups whipping cream (full fat)
1/2 cup icing sugar or confectioner’s sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 tablespoons cocoa powder
Sift the icing sugar and cocoa powder in a bowl. Add the cream and vanilla. With a hand whisk begin to mix till incorporated (this will avoid the dry ingredients from making dust clouds). Continue to whisk using the electric mixer with the whisk attachment till the whipping cream is stiff and forms peaks.
Assembly
Prepare 1/2 cup instant black coffee or if you like more flavor you can use espresso. Let it cool.
Flip the cake onto the cake board with the top part facing down.
Cut the cooled cake horizontally in and keep the top piece on another board or plate.
On the cake piece (the one on the board) sprinkle 1/24cup coffee using a tablespoon to evenly moisten it.
Apply 6-7 tablespoon of chocolate whipped cream and make it leveled and smooth.
Take the other half cake and carefully slide it over the chocolate whipped cream.
Sprinkle the left over coffee on the cake.
Apply a batch of whipped cream on the top and sides of the cake.
With the remaining cream pipe rosettes or sprinkle your favorite chocolate shavings.
Tips-
-Always have the ingredients at room temperature and measure the ingredients levelled.
-I have used ground coffee in the mixture because it brings out the chocolate flavor, amazing chemistry
-Cakes with sour cream bring more fat in the cake and that reduces crumbs while also making it soft.
-Use the same recipe and make cupcakes!