The Best Chocolate Cake I’ve Made (…so far…)

[Nn, M.D.]

 

It’s been a bit since I posted, but I feel the need to spread the good news of my latest creation. I’ve posted on here about my challenges making a chocolate sponge that I like, and I’m constantly looking for a way to bring chocolate decadence to a light and airy sponge without having to compromise on anything. Imagine my surprise when I found this recipe of a chocolate chiffon that felt like a good omen. I made some adaptations to the base recipe, inspired by my signature brownies, with lemon, fresh ground cardamom, and olive oil. As I built the cake, I visualized a chocolate cake that felt rich but was so easy to eat that you couldn’t help but go back for more. So I complimented the cake with a whipped espresso ganache and a deceptively light double chocolate buttercream. I’m really proud of how this turned out, and though my search isn’t quite over, I feel like I’ve gotten closer to my ideal chocolate sponge with this cake. Ingredients with asterisks (**) are optional but highly recommended.

 

Chocolate, Lemon and Cardamom Sponge

• 40 g cocoa powder
• 50 g dark chocolate (≥ 60% cacao)
• 100 g hot water
• 1 tsp instant espresso powder**
• 1 tbsp fresh ground cardamom
• 8 eggs, separated
• 145 g dark brown sugar
• Zest of 2 lemons
• 110 g olive oil
• 140 g all purpose flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1 ¼ tsp salt
• 115 granulated sugar

1. Preheat oven to 335˚F and line 3 8-inch cake tins with parchment.
2. Combine chocolate, cocoa, hot water, espresso, and cardamom in small bowl and let sit for 5 minutes before stirring to combine. Set aside.
3. Separate eggs and put whites in electric mixer bowl. Set yolks aside.
4. In a large bowl, rub together brown sugar and lemon zest until fragrant. Add in egg yolks and olive oil and whisk until smooth.
5. Add granulated sugar to egg whites and whip on medium (4 on KitchenAid) until medium-stiff peaks. Don’t whip to stiff peaks and don’t whip too fast. This took me about 8 min to get to medium-stiff peaks but check often. Visual indicators will be a slight droop and wobble of a peak.
6. While whites are whipping, add chocolate mixture to bowl and whisk until well combined.
7. Sift dry ingredients together and whisk into wet ingredients until just combined without visible dry flour.
8. Once whites reach medium-stiff peak, fold into batter in 3 additions with a rubber spatula.
9. Split batter into 3 pans and bake for 24 minutes. Tap on counter once removed from oven and allow to cool completely before removing from pan.

 

Soaking Syrup

• 150 g sugar
• Juice of 2 lemons + enough water to make 150 g liquid
• 2 tsp cocoa extract**

1. Add sugar and juice/water to a microwave-safe bowl and heat until sugar is dissolved.
2. Allow syrup to cool slightly before stirring in extract.

 

Espresso Ganache

• 500 g full-fat heavy cream
• 300 g white chocolate (not white baking chips)
• 1.5 tbsp instant espresso
• ½ tsp salt
• 1 tsp vanilla extract/vanilla paste**

1. Heat cream, espresso, and salt in small pan until heated through just without simmering.
2. Add hot cream over white chocolate with vanilla and let sit for 5 min.
3. Blend with an immersion blender or whisk gently. Pour into a container, place plastic directly on surface, and chill completely (around 5-6 hours) before use.

 

Chocolate Buttercream

• 300 g dark chocolate, melted and cooled
• 1 can (~390 g) sweetened condensed milk
• 2 eggs
• 2 tbsp buttermilk powder
• 2 heaped tbsp (~40 g) cocoa powder
• 4 sticks (454 g) butter, room temperature (I used half salted and half unsalted butter)
• ½ tsp salt (if using unsalted butter)**

1. Melt chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl and set aside to cool for at least 10 minutes before proceeding.
2. Add milk, eggs, buttermilk powder, salt**, and cocoa powder to the bowl of an electric stand mixer. Bring a small pan of water up to a simmer and whisk ingredients over simmering water until heated through, at least 165˚F.
3. Place bowl in mixer and whisk on high (8-10 on KitchenAid) until at room temperature.
4. While the custard is whipping, whisk butter with either manual whisk or electric hand mixer in a small bowl until lightened.
5. Once custard is at room temperature, add in whipped butter in several small additions, mixing well between each addition. Once all butter is added, scrape sides and bottom of the bowl with a spatula, and whisk again on high for 1-2 minutes.
6. Turn mixer down to low (2 on KitchenAid) and slowly drizzle in cooled melted chocolate. Once all chocolate is added, scrape sides and bottom of the bowl and whisk again for 1-2 minutes.
7. *To smooth buttercream, switch to a paddle attachment and mix on lowest setting (Stir) for 5-10 minutes.

 

Assembly

1. Remove sponges from pan and scrape level, if necessary. Drizzle or brush syrup over the three sponges.
2. Whip ganache to stiff peaks with hand mixer or stand mixer. Do not over-mix or it will become grainy.
3. Lay down sponge on turntable. Lay down a layer of frosting, then pipe a dam on the outside and spread whipped ganache in the center.
4. Repeat with second sponge layer.
5. Add third layer, crumb coat and chill for 20 minutes.
6. Add remaining frosting to outside to decorate.

 

[MaryIsobel]

Lovely - I would have a piece (or four!) of that.