One Pot Sour Cream Chocolate Cake

A few months ago, I got a copy of Robert Steinberg and John Scharffenberger's book, "The Essence of Chocolate."  It's the sort of cookbook that totally appeals to me:  big, thick, textured paper, gorgeously photographed, with varied recipes -- and oh yes, all about chocolate.  What's not to love?  While pregnant with Puggle, I spent a lot of my leisure time (that is to say, when I wasn't comatose from pregnancy-induced narcolepsy) reading cookbooks and this was one of my favorites.  Many of the recipes are contributed by such luminaries as Jacques Pepin, Thomas Keller and Michael Chiarello but they are the supporting players to the book's clear star:  chocolate, in all its lovely stages and forms.

It's as much a memoir and a history and primer on all things chocolate as it is a cookbook.  Steinberg is a former physician who fell in love with the art of chocolate making when he spent a few weeks in Lyon learning about the trade.  He teamed up with Scharffenberger, his former patient and in 1996, the company that became America's domestic producer of high end chocolate, Scharffen Berger, was born.  I've mentioned before that I have met the Chocolate King. I have to say that there's something delicious about finding the same high end sort of chocolate States-side.  I am a fan:  my morning hot chocolate is made with their cocoa and my pantry is lined with Scharffen Berger chocolate to cook  with and to eat.

While there are several recipes in the book that have piqued my fancy (frozen chocolate mousse!), as a new mother with limited time (self-induced as I'm more inclined to spend my time holding my son than a whisk), this one is the sort of hit and run ("It hit the spot and now I have to run to get that spot off my hips.") dessert I love. 

Dinner was also inspired by a recipe in the book:  a roast chicken rubbed with John Scharffenberger's cocoa and salt recipe (yes, cocoa), which produced a flavorfully complex richness and crisp skin.  Hubby quite enjoyed the chicken -- and I did not bother to tell him it was essentially a chocolate chicken.  And  while we ate our chicken, this lovely cake was in the oven.

All the ingredients are literally combined in one pot:  natural (not Dutch processed) cocoa, butter, water, sugar, flour, baking soda, sour cream and egg, whisked evenly together and then poured into a pan.  Being entirely too lazy to butter and flour an 8 inch pan, I poured the batter into a Teflon-coated 9 inch pan.  Now I wish I'd made extra effort because the dense, moist, intensely chocolate cake would have been better served a little thicker and more elevated, instead of the nearly tart like height it's currently got.  Alternatively, the recipe can also be used to make cupcakes -- which I think is what I'll make next time.  Definitely top with a dollop of fresh whipped cream -- the mellow smoothness of the chantilly provides a nice counterpoint to the intensity of the chocolate.

Tonight was the first time I've pulled the book off the shelf -- primarily because up until a few weeks ago, I wasn't quite sure where the book was; the new cookbook case has proven quite useful.  I noticed that I've earmarked several recipes and I think that based on this wonderful dessert, I'm going to have to try to the others.

Maybe Puggle won't mind my putting him down to pick up a whisk to make something chocolate-y and sweet.

One Pot Sour Cream Chocolate Cake

contributed by Stephanie Hersh

Unsalted butter and flour for the pan
1/2 cup water
2 T unsweetened cocoa powder
8 T unsalted butter, cut into 1 inch cubes
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/2 t baking soda
1 large egg
1/4 sour cream

Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat the oven to 350 F.  Butter and flour an 8 inch round cake pan or standard cupcake tin (this recipe makes 9 cupcakes).

Place the water, cocoa powder, and butter in a medium saucepan, bring to a simmer over low heat, and simmer gently until the butter is melted.  Whisk to combine, then add the sugar, remove from the heat and whisk until smooth and well-blended.  (At this point, there may still be some visible granules of sugar).

Whisk in the flour and baking soda.  Add the egg and sour cream, and whisk until the butter is uniform in color.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan.  Bake for 25 to 30 minutes (15 to 17 minutes for cupcakes), or until the sides of the cake begin to pull away from the pan and the center springs back when pressed lightly.  A skewer inserted in the center of the cake should come out clean.

Remove the cake from the oven and cool in the pan on a rack for 10 minutes (2 minutes for cupcakes).  Invert onto the rack to cool completely.

To serve, transfer the cake to a serving plate and top with the whipped cream and chocolate curls.

Serves 8 to 10 or makes 9 cupcakes.

Excerpted from THE ESSENCE OF CHOCOLATE by John Scharffenberger and Robert Steinberg.  Copyright 2006 Scharffen Berger Chocolate Maker, Inc. Photographs copyright 2005 Deborah Jones.  All rights reserved.  Published by Hyperion.  Available wherever books are sold.

Comments

[Tanna]

Yes, chocolatey sweet made with sour cream would have to be wonderful.

[cath]

Oh it was! It is! I'm going to have some for breakfast!

[Popcorn]

Ok, you've convinced me. I'm making this tonight!

[Cheryl]

That looks incredible and you can never beat anything with a little whipped cream on top.

[cath]

Popcorn -- how did yours come out?

Cheryl -- it WAS incredible! We just finished the last of it tonight...no whipped cream (too lazy), but vanilla ice cream hit the spot, too.

[Popcorn]

:( I think I must have done something wrong because, as my 8yr old put it, it was too much like a brownie to be a cake but not enough like a brownie to be a brownie. (She's so clever!) I'm not the best baker so I think I just screwed up.

[jenjen]

A one pot cake always gets my attention, I hate doing so much washing. But even if it took more than one bowl I would still be up for it, the cake looks delicious!

[cath]

Popcorn, how did the second attempt go? You never told me?

Jenjen -- it was reaaaaaaaaaallly good. :-)