During my birthday last year, I asked my husband to make this cake for me. I don’t usually bake a cake that he bakes because I always know his will be better; so I just request for him to make it for me instead. This is one of his specialty cakes and I am in love with it. I was truly a happy wife when he made this for me. My friends were extremely happy about this cake too. They were so happy there was no leftover cake for the next day. The serving platter was empty clean.
See what our friends from Completely Delicious have to say about this recipe:
“The cake is a simple and super moist chocolate sour cream cake. The coffee buttercream is a bit labor-intensive but well worth the effort— light, creamy and subtly scented with coffee. The ganache is the literal and proverbial icing on the cake, and it ties it all together beautifully and deliciously.”
It was so worth the wait! Who would have thought that a simple sour cream cake will taste as sinful as this? You just really have to be patience, but it will reward you in the end.
Ingredients
3/4 cup (65 grams) Hershey’s unsweetened cocoa powder
2/3 cup (150 grams) Daisy sour cream
1 1/4 cup (296 ml) hot coffee or water
2 2/3 cup (320 grams) Gold Medal all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons Clabber Girl baking powder
1 teaspoon Clabber Girl baking soda
1/2 teaspoon Morton salt
1 1/4 cup (280 grams) Land O Lakes unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup (215 grams) Domino brown sugar
1 1/2 cups (300 grams) Domino sugar
3 large Eggland’s eggs
1 tablespoon McCormick vanilla extract
1 1/2 cup (300 grams) Domino sugar
1/3 cup (40 grams) Gold Medal flour
1 1/4 cup (295 ml) Borden whole milk
1/3 cup (80 ml) Borden heavy cream
2 tablespoons instant espresso powder
1 1/2 cups (340 grams) Land O Lakes unsalted butter, at room temperature and cubed
1 tablespoon McCormick vanilla extract
8 ounces (227 grams) Toll House dark chocolate, chopped or use chips
3/4 cup (170 grams) Land O Lakes unsalted butter, cubed
1 tablespoon Karo light corn syrup
Instructions
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Line two 8-inch round cake pans with parchment paper and grease with non-stick cooking spray or coat with butter and flour.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the cocoa, sour cream and hot coffee or water until smooth. Set aside to cool.
In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
In the bowl of stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugars together on medium high speed until very light and creamy, scraping the bowl down as necessary, about 5-7 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing after each. Add the vanilla.
Add the flour mixture in 3 additions, alternating with the cooled cocoa mixture, ending with the flour mixture. Mix until just combined. Divide the batter equally between the prepared cake pans.
Bake, rotating halfway through. until the center of the the cakes bounce back when touched and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with a few moist crumbs, about 40-45 minutes. Let cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then remove to a wire rack to cool completely.
Whisk together the sugar, flour, milk, heavy cream and espresso powder in a medium saucepan. Set over medium heat and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Continue to cook, stirring constantly, until mixture is thickened, about 8-10 minutes.
Pour mixture through a mesh strainer into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Beat on medium high speed until cooled to room temperature, about 10 minutes.
Reduce the mixer speed to medium and add the cubed butter a tablespoon at a time, letting it become incorporated before adding the next tablespoon. Once all the butter has been added, add the vanilla and beat on high speed until buttercream is thick and creamy. If buttercream is too soft, chill in the fridge for 10 minutes, then try beating again.
If desired, cut the cooled cake layers in half, creating 4 layers. Place the first cake layer on a cake stand or plate. Cover with 3/4 cup of the buttercream and top with another cake layer. Repeat.
Cover the layer cake with a thin layer of buttercream to create a crumb coat. Chill cake for 10 minutes to set, then cover with remaining buttercream. Chill for at least 30 minutes.
Place the chopped chocolate, cubed butter, and corn syrup in a large heat-proof bowl set over a pan of barely simmering water. Stir as mixture melts. Once smooth, remove from heat and let cool for about 5 minutes.
Pour about 1/2 cup of the ganache over the top of the chilled cake, spreading it just to the edge without letting it spill over the sides. Chill 5 minutes. Pour another 1/2-1 cup of the ganache over the cake, this time pushing it over the sides and letting it drip down. Let cake set for 30 minutes at room temperature or 10 minutes in the fridge before serving.
USE RED NEXT PAGE LINK BELOW.
Quick Tip: The success of the buttercream is largely determined by the temperature of the butter. It should be at room temperature and soft enough that your finger will leave an imprint when pressed, but not so soft that your finger easily presses through it.
Thanks again to Completely Delicious for this amazing recipe.
