Jennifer Borden, professional baker and friend of Edible Rhody
You’ll have even better results with this deliciously moist chocolate cake and accompanying sauce if you use the best chocolate. For this recipe, I use Cacao Barry Extra Brute 100% Cocoa Powder and Valrhona 70% Cacao Dark Chocolate.
Ingredients
- 4 large graham crackers, finely ground in a food processor
- ⅔ cup cocoa powder
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1¾ cups all-purpose flour
- 1½ teaspoons baking soda
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1½ teaspoons cinnamon
- 1½ teaspoons ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon ground cardamom
- ½ teaspoon nutmeg
- ⅔ cup (10½ tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1½ cups buttermilk, room temperature
- 2 tablespoons powdered sugar for dusting
- ¾ cup heavy cream
- 4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
- 2 tablespoons cocoa powder
- 2 tablespoons light corn syrup
- 1 teaspoon instant espresso powder
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- Pinch kosher salt
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 4 tablespoons mascarpone
- 1 tablespoon powdered sugar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla
Preparation
Be sure to have the butter, eggs and buttermilk at room temperature before you begin. Place rack in the middle of the oven and preheat oven to 350°F. Spray an 8-inch Bundt pan with cooking spray and lightly coat with the graham cracker crumbs, shaking out the extra.
In a small bowl, sift together the cocoa powder and ½ cup sugar. In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, cardamom and nutmeg. Set both bowls aside.
In the bowl of a stand-up mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, combine butter and 1 cup sugar. Beat on low speed until just incorporated. Add the eggs 1 at a time, scraping down the bowl after each addition. Add the vanilla and then the cocoa powder mixture and beat on low until the cocoa has been thoroughly incorporated.
In 3 additions, add the buttermilk and the flour mixture alternately, scraping down the bowl as needed. Do not overbeat the batter. Pour the batter into prepared pan, even out the top and tap the pan on the counter to release any air bubbles. Bake the cake for 45 minutes, rotating halfway through.
The cake is done when the top springs back or a toothpick comes out clean. Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then invert onto a cooling rack.
While the cake is cooling, make the Hot Chocolate Sauce by combining the heavy cream, bittersweet chocolate, cocoa powder, corn syrup and espresso powder in a heavy-bottomed saucepan. Cook on medium heat until the chocolate is melted. Remove from the heat and whisk in the butter, vanilla and kosher salt, stirring until the butter is melted and the sauce is shiny. The sauce may be served right away or stored in the refrigerator for a week and reheated before serving.
To make the Mascarpone Whipped Cream, be sure to have the bowl and whisk attachment very cold. Add the heavy cream, mascarpone, powdered sugar and vanilla. Beat on high just until stiff peaks form.
To assemble the cake: Dust with the powdered sugar, cut the cake and serve slices on cake plates with a small pool of sauce and top pieces with whipped cream.
