Chocolate Sour Cream Bundt Cake

SERVES Serves 12 to 14

TIME 1½ hours, plus 3½ hours cooling

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS

For a chocolate Bundt cake recipe that would deliver a cake that tasted every bit as good as it looked, with a fine crumb, moist texture, and rich chocolate flavor, we used both bittersweet chocolate and natural cocoa, dissolving them in boiling water, which "blooms" their flavor. Sour cream and brown sugar gave our chocolate Bundt cake recipe moisture and flavor. Finally, we enhanced our cake’s chocolate flavor with small amounts of espresso powder and vanilla extract, both of which complement the floral nuances of the chocolate. For a chocolate Bundt cake recipe that would deliver a cake that tasted every bit as good as it looked, with a fine crumb, moist texture, and rich chocolate flavor, we used both bittersweet chocolate and natural cocoa, dissolving them in boiling water, which "blooms" their flavor. Sour cream and brown sugar gave our chocolate Bundt cake recipe moisture and flavor. Finally, we enhanced our cake’s chocolate flavor with small amounts of espresso powder and vanilla extract, both of which complement the floral nuances of the chocolate.

INGREDIENTS

subheading: Cake Release:

1 tablespoon butter, melted

1 tablespoon cocoa

subheading: Cake:

¾ cup natural cocoa (2 ¼ ounces)

6 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped

1 teaspoon instant espresso powder (optional)

¾ cup water (boiling)

1 cup sour cream, room temperature

1 ¾ cups unbleached all-purpose flour (8 ¾ ounces)

1 teaspoon table salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

12 tablespoons unsalted butter (1 ½ sticks), room temperature

2 cups packed light brown sugar (14 ounces)

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

5 large eggs, room temperature

confectioners' sugar for dusting

note: BEFORE YOU BEGIN

Natural (or regular) cocoa gives the cake a fuller, more assertive chocolate flavor than does Dutch-processed cocoa. In addition, Dutch-processed cocoa will result in a compromised rise. The cake can be served with just a dusting of confectioners' sugar but is easily made more impressive with Tangy Whipped Cream and Lightly Sweetened Raspberries (recipes follow). The cake can be made a day in advance; wrap the cooled cake in plastic and store it at room temperature. Dust with confectioners' sugar just before serving. Natural (or regular) cocoa gives the cake a fuller, more assertive chocolate flavor than does Dutch-processed cocoa. In addition, Dutch-processed cocoa will result in a compromised rise. The cake can be served with just a dusting of confectioners' sugar but is easily made more impressive with Tangy Whipped Cream and Lightly Sweetened Raspberries (recipes follow). The cake can be made a day in advance; wrap the cooled cake in plastic and store it at room temperature. Dust with confectioners' sugar just before serving.

INSTRUCTIONS

FOR THE PAN: Stir together butter and cocoa in small bowl until paste forms; using a pastry brush, coat all interior surfaces of standard 12-cup Bundt pan, see illustration below. (If mixture becomes too thick to brush on, microwave it for 10 to 20 seconds, or until warm and softened.) Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position; heat oven to 350 degrees.

Directions at americastestkitchen.com

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