If you love chocolate like I do, then I am sure you will agree that there are few things better than chocolate cake. I am not talking about a fluffy cake mix chocolate cake. I am speaking of the kind of cake that is moist and dense, not too sweet. The cake that has a dark, deep, rich, pure chocolate flavor that melts in your mouth and dances on your tongue. A real I sold my soul to the devil kind of chocolate cake that makes you think you died and went to heaven. If that sounds like your kind of dessert, then you will be happy to know that this one definitely hits all the right buttons, an absolute chocoholics dream come true!
- 2 cups sugar
- 1 cup strong-brewed coffee
- 5 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped
- ½ cup butter
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 6 ounces vanilla yogurt
- 2 eggs, lightly beaten
- 1 teaspoon vinegar
- ¾ cup white baking chips
- 9 ounces dark chocolate chips, Ghiradelli, or other premium chocolate
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- 1 ounce Kahlua, optional
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Heat oven to 325° F. Grease and flour a 10-inch fluted tube pan, set aside
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In a large saucepan combine sugar, coffee, unsweetened chocolate, and butter. Heat while stirring over medium-low until the chocolate and butter are melted. Heat this mixture only long enough to completely melt the chocolate and butter. Do not boil, we are not melting sugar and making candy, the sauce should appear granular.
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Remove from heat and cool (since we are going to be adding egg to this mixture, it is extremely important to allow the sauce to cool down somewhat. Scrambled eggs would not be a good thing here).
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In a small bowl combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; set aside.
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Tip: When baking, mix your dry ingredients flour, baking powder, soda, salt, powdered spices together with a whisk in a separate bowl. This accomplishes two things, one it combines the ingredients without overworking the batter, and it sifts the flour.
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Stir yogurt, eggs, and vinegar into chocolate mixture in saucepan. Gradually add flour mixture, stirring just until combined (Vinegar is added to assist the leavening ingredients in this very heavy cake, but will add no taste. Do not be surprised to see the batter bubble, it is the vinegar doing its job).
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Fold in the white baking chips and pour into the prepared pan.
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Bake for 50 to 60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. (Because this is such a dense cake be sure to test the cake in several places. I like to use a wooden skewer instead of a tooth pick to make sure the cake is done all the way through).
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Cool in pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Remove from pan. Cool completely on rack
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Place the chocolate chips in a mixing bowl.
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In a small sauce pan over medium-high heat warm the cream until it is almost ready to boil. (Do not boil). Pour the hot cream into the bowl of chips and mix until all of the chocolate is melted and becomes smooth (the residual heat from the cream will melt the chocolate).
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Finish the ganache by stirring in the Kahlua.
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Pour the ganache over the cooled cake while the chocolate is still warm. It will flow easily and become smooth. As the chocolate cools it will set up and will keep its shiny appearance.
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I finished this cake with some white, light, and milk chocolate that I drizzled over the cake after the ganache had set up. I tempered the chocolates one at a time and used a small plastic bag with the corner cut off to pipe on the finishing touches.
Use a good quality chocolate for your ganache. Rum is also commonly added instead of Kahlua. This is totally a preference, and most certainly can be omitted. However if you are adding liquor, be sure to do so after the chocolate is completely melted and incorporated into the cream.
Ganache is easy to make and delicious, and can be used in many ways. One way is as a warm sauce-like glaze as described here. Another application is to allow the ganache to complete cool (room temp not refrigerated), and then whisk it into a spreadable frosting. Thicker versions are commonly used for fillings in pastries and truffles, or thinned as a sauce.
