Chocolate Cake
Fluffy moist chocolate cake with a silky mousse-like frosting that's creamy yet bittersweet. It's so simple, anyone can make it.
Ingredients
- 145 grams vegetable oil
- 90 grams sour cream
- 1 tbsp espresso powder
- 175 grams water
- 40 grams natural cocoa powder
- 70 grams finely chopped unsweetened chocolate
- 230 grams brown sugar
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp table salt
- 2 large eggs cold
- 130 grams all-purpose flour
- 30 g cornstarch
- 2 tsp baking soda
Instructions
Chocolate Cake
- Preheat oven to 350℉. Grease and line 3 6" pans with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, microwave chocolate and water with sugar, cocoa and espresso in 20 second intervals, stirring after each one, until chocolate is melted.
- Add eggs and whisk until smooth and emulsified. Then add vanilla and whisk until combined.
- Add oil and sour cream. Whisk until smooth.
- Add flour, cornstarch, baking soda and salt.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes.
Chocolate frosting
- In a large bowl, melt chocolate in the microwave, stirring every 10 seconds.
- Add water and cocoa. Whisk until smooth.
- Using an electric hand-mixer, beat in butter in small chunks, piece by piece, until fully smooth.
Assembly
- Level the cakes with a serrated knife if they have domed.
- Place the first layer of cake on your serving plate.
- Smooth a thin layer of frosting on the cake and place another layer on top.
- Repeat.
- Frost the entire cake with remaining frosting.
- Refrigerate to firm up the frosting and cake before slicing for a cleaner cut.