Mom’s Chocolate Cake

My mother’s been making this cake ever since the 1980s. I’m fairly certain her recipe was based on one of Maida Heatter’s cake recipes in Book of Great Desserts. I changed some of the brands from the ones my mother used (Callebaut chocolate instead of Baker’s, for instance), but other than that, here’s a recipe that’s been pleasing friends and family for decades. My mom calls it her Evil, Evil, Evil Chocolate Cake.

I also make a low-carb flourless chocolate-almond torte, for keto folk.

Mom’s Chocolate Cake
Makes one 10″ cake

FOR THE CAKE
1/2 cup (1 stick) salted Kerrygold butter
+ extra for greasing pan
4 ounces Callebaut 70-30 dark chocolate
3 tablespoons Callebaut cocoa powder
1 cup strong coffee
1 teaspoon Nielson-Massey Madagascar Bourbon vanilla extract
1-1/2 cups granulated white sugar
2 organic eggs, separated
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup organic sour cream
1-3/4 cups plus 1 tablespoon unbleached all-purpose flour (9-9.15 oz.)
+ extra for flouring pan
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon sea salt

FOR THE FROSTING
2 tablespoons salted Kerrygold butter
3/4 cup Callebaut 70-30 dark chocolate, broken into small chunks
2 tablespoons Callebaut cocoa powder
6 tablespoons organic heavy cream
3/4 cup sifted confectioners’ sugar
1 teaspoon Nielson-Massey Madagascar Bourbon vanilla extract

Garnish Ideas: Flaky salt, freshly-whipped cream, fresh berries.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Using a 10-inch springform pan, butter and dust with unsweetened cocoa powder.

Cut the chocolate and butter into small pieces, add the cocoa powder, and place in a large bowl. Pour 1 cup boiling coffee over them; let stand until melted. Stir in the vanilla and sugar, then whisk in the egg yolks, one at a time.

In a small bowl, mix the baking soda and sour cream and whisk into the chocolate mixture. Sift the flour, baking powder, and salt and add to the batter, mixing thoroughly.

Beat the egg whites until stiff but not too dry. Stir a quarter of the egg whites thoroughly into the batter. Gently fold in the remaining whites.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Set on the center rack of the oven and bake until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean, 40-55 minutes (depending on your oven). Cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then release the ring. Allow the cake to cool for one hour on the pan’s bottom, before covering it with a plate and flipping it over (to release the pan bottom).

To make the frosting—
Place all the frosting ingredients in a heavy saucepan over low heat and whisk until smooth. Spread on a—completely cooled—cake while the frosting is still warm. Refrigerate immediately to maintain moistness.