Rich Chocolate Cake

Total Time: 50 mins Preparation Time: 15 mins Cook Time: 35 mins

Ingredients

• 3 ounces unsweetened chocolate, finely chopped (good quality)
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup cornstarch
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 cups light brown sugar (firmly packed)
• 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup sour cream, at room temperature
• 3 eggs, lightly beaten,at room temperature
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup water

Recipe

• 1 position a rack in lower third of oven and preheat to 350f.
• 2 line the bottoms of two 9x2-inch round pans with parchment paper.
• 3 melt chocolate in microwave (low or med), stirring occasionally until smooth.
• 4 you may use a double boiler too (make sure water is hot, not simmering).
• 5 cool chocolate until tepid.
• 6 sift flour, cornstarch, baking soda and salt into a large mixing bowl.
• 7 add brown sugar.
• 8 using a paddle blade on electric mixer, combine the ingredients on low speed.
• 9 add butter and sour cream.
• 10 mix on med-low speed for 1 min to make a thick batter.
• 11 add eggs, melted chocolate and vanilla.
• 12 increase speed to high and beat for 2 mins.
• 13 stop and scrape down the bowl.
• 14 resume mixing at med-high, for about 5 sec.
• 15 reduce speed to low and slowly pour in the water just until thoroughly blended.
• 16 spoon batter into prepared pans and spread it evenly.
• 17 bake until tops spring back when pressed lightly in the centers and a toothpick inserted into the centers comes out clean, 30-35 mins.
• 18 transfer to cooling racks and cool for 10 mins.
• 19 invert onto racks and remove pans.
• 20 peel off the parchment and cool the cakes right side up.
• 21 note: the cake can be baked 1 day in advance.
• 22 wrap the cooled cake layers tightly with plastic wrap to store.
• 23 or to freeze, over-wrapped with foil, for up to 2 weeks.