Chocolate Sour Cream Cake

Posted: June 28, 2011 | Author: | Filed under: Bozeman or Bust, Desserts, food | Tags: , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

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Just because we are eating on a budget doesn’t mean we can actually live without dessert. I know, I tried. That’s why this cake is a perfectly simple, delicious way to stretch dessert.

America’s Test Kitchen has always been my go-to for the best of anything recipe. I took this Chocolate Sour Cream Bundt Cake of theirs I had stashed away in my recipes folder and split it into two loaf pans. That way, we worked our way through one loaf slowly while we froze the other for the next time the craving hits for the most moist,rich,chocolatey cake that doesn’t overwhelm after a simple meal.

You could fancy this up, of course; add raspberries and whipped cream on top or dollop it with our espresso whipped cream for an elegant touch. This doesn’t have to be a simple, weekday sweet, but it certainly does a good job as such.

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CHOCOLATE SOUR CREAM CAKE

adapted from America’s Test Kitchen

INGREDIENTS

For the Pan:

1 Tablespoon Butter, Melted

1 Tablespoon Cocoa

For the Cake:

3/4 Cup Natural Baking Cocoa Powder

6 Ounces Bittersweet Chocolate, chopped

1 teaspoon Instant Espresso Powder

3/4 Cup Boiling Water

1 Cup Sour Cream, room temp.

1 3/4 Cups Unbleached All-Purpose Flour

1 Teaspoon Salt

1 Teaspoon Baking Soda

12 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter (1 1/2 Sticks), room temp.

2 Cups Packed Light Brown Sugar

1 Tablespoon Vanilla Extract

5 Large Eggs, room temp.

Whipped cream or confectioner’s sugar to top*

*optional

PREPARATION

Stir together melted butter and cocoa in a small bowl to form a paste. Use a pastry brush to coat the inside of two standard loaf pans (or one bundt pan). Adjust rack to middle position and preheat oven to 350°.

Combine Cocoa, chocolate, and espresso powder in heatproof bowl; pour boiling water over and whisk until smooth. Cool to room temp. Whisk in sour cream.

In a second bowl, whisk flour, salt, and baking soda to combine.

Using a mixer, beat butter, sugar, and vanilla on med-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. reduce speed to med. and add eggs one at a time, mixing about 30 seconds after each addition and scraping down bowl with rubber spatula after each. Reduce to med-low speed and add about one third of the dry ingredient mixture and half of chocolate/sour cream mixture and stir until just incorporated. Scrape bowl and repeat twice, dividing the dry ingredient mixture in half. Mix until batter is thoroughly combined.

Pour into prepared pans and bake until toothpick comes out with only a few crumbs attached, 45-50 minutes. Cool in pan 10 minutes, then invert to cooling rack and cool completely.