There was no other option for the third Cake Thursday than a chocolate cake.
It had to be something special, yet simple. Something that showcased the beauty of chocolate. I did not want to go the flourless route, yet the time for a multi-layer cake had not yet arrived.
After looking through my library, I decided it was finally time to tackle a cake from Rose Levy Beranbaum's The Cake Bible. I go to the book often to reference ingredients, measurements, etc, but have been a little wary to try her mixing method ever since my failure with the Nigella recipe.
Throughout my serious cake baking life (which, granted, is the past few years), I have only come across the mix-dry-with-butter method (dreaming?) versus the traditional creaming method twice. Nigella and Rose. I'm sure it's out there in many other places, but because my exposure to it was so limited, I felt like a life-long Catholic who suddenly decided to dip my toes in the pool of Buddhism. Sure, that's a dramatic analogy, but you get the gist.
Chocolate Domingo Cake from The Cake Bible
9" pan, butter/parchment/butter/flour
Oven: 350 degrees
In a medium bowl, whisk together 1/4 cup + 3 tbsp. dutch processed cocoa (or 1/2 cup nonalkalized such as Hershey's), 2/3 cup sour cream, 2 large eggs and 1 1/2 tsp. vanilla until smooth. Set aside.
In a large bowl, combine 1 1/2 cups + 1 tbsp. flour (her recipe calls for cake flour, but I substituted all-purpose and cornstarch with wonderful results), 1 cup sugar, 3/4 tsp. baking powder, 1/4 tsp. baking soda, and 1/2 tsp. salt. Mix on low speed with an electric mixer for 30 seconds. Add 14 tbsp. softened unsalted butter and 1/2 of the cocoa mixture until the dry ingredients are moistened. Increase to medium speed (high if using a hand mixer) and beat for 1 1/2 minutes. Scrape down the bowl, then gradually add the remaining cocoa mixture in two batches, beating for 20 seconds after each addition.
The batter will be like a thick, whipped frosting. Fold into the pan, smooth the surface, and pop it into the oven. Bake for 30-40 minutes until the cake test comes back clean.
Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then let cool completely, undressed.
Failure, this was not. Whatever had been lacking when I baked the Nigella recipe, was certainly abundant in the opposite this time. It came out of the oven exactly as R.L.B. described, which sent a little jolt of thrill through me, and tasted, well...
I can oddly describe it best in opposites: light, yet dense, moist, yet textured with a fine crumb, rich rich rich, yet not at all too much for the palate. A simple dusting of powdered sugar was all that it needed.
Though I can not say I've been converted completely to the dreaming method, just like religion in this world, I can't see why there's not room for more than one.
