Don’t be put off by the number of steps needed to make this impressive-looking dessert. None of the steps themselves are hard, and once it’s assembled, there is nothing to do but wait and slice. While delicious after an overnight refrigeration, even 5 days later it’s still decadent, moist and incredibly chocolatey.
| Level: | Intermediate |
| Total: | 5 hr |
| Active: | 1 hr 30 min |
| Yield: | 8 to 12 servings |
Ingredients
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for the pan
- 1/2 cup unsweetened dutch-process cocoa powder
- 1 tablespoon instant espresso powder
- 3/4 cup whole milk
- 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 large eggs
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1/3 cup chocolate liqueur (optional)
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 8 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
- 5 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1/4 cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
- 3/4 teaspoon powdered gelatin
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 1 tablespoon instant espresso powder
Instructions
- Make the cake: Preheat the oven to 350˚ F. Butter a metal 8-inch square cake pan. Line the bottom and sides of the pan with parchment paper; lightly butter the parchment. Combine the cocoa and espresso powders in a medium bowl. Heat the milk and butter in a small saucepan over medium-low heat until the milk is steaming and the butter melts. Whisk into the cocoa mixture; let cool to room temperature.
- Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl. In a large bowl, beat the eggs and sugar with a mixer on medium-high speed until very pale, thick and pillowy, 5 to 8 minutes. Beat 30 to 45 more seconds to stabilize the egg foam.
- Reduce the mixer speed to low; beat in the cocoa mixture in 2 additions, alternating with the flour mixture in 2 additions. Beat just until the batter is smooth and no dry flour remains.
- Pour the batter into the cake pan and gently tap against the counter to eliminate any air bubbles. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 35 minutes. Let cool 10 minutes in the pan, then turn out the cake onto a rack. Peel off the parchment but let it rest gently on top of the cake while it cools completely. Wipe the cake pan clean and reserve.
- Make the ganache: Combine 1/2 cup heavy cream, 4 ounces chocolate and 1 tablespoon butter in a small saucepan. Gently cook over medium-low heat, stirring, until melted and smooth. Let cool.
- Make the mousse: Combine the remaining 4 tablespoons butter and 4 ounces chocolate in a small microwave-safe bowl. Microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring, until melted and smooth. Whisk in the cocoa powder until smooth. Let cool.
- Meanwhile, combine 1/4 cup heavy cream and the gelatin powder in a small microwave- safe bowl. Let stand until the gelatin absorbs the liquid, about 5 minutes, then microwave until melted, 20 to 30 seconds, whisking. Let cool, stirring occasionally.
- Combine the remaining 1 1/4 cups heavy cream, the sugar and espresso powder in a large bowl. Beat with a mixer on medium speed to dissolve the sugar, about 1 minute. Stream in the cooled gelatin mixture, then increase the speed to medium high and beat until the mixture is thick and stiff peaks form. Fold in the cooled chocolate mixture in 2 or 3 batches until the mousse is well blended.
- Assemble the cake: Line the reserved cake pan with 2 crisscrossed strips of parchment paper (this will help you lift out the finished cake). Carefully slice the cake horizontally into 3 equal layers. Lay the best layer cut-side up in the bottom of the pan and brush with some of the chocolate liqueur, if using. (Use a plate or small cutting board to move the layers; if your top cake layer is domed, use it for the middle of the cake.) Evenly spread half of the mousse on top with an offset spatula, all the way to the edges. Top with a second cake layer. Brush again with chocolate liqueur, then spread half of the ganache evenly on top. Add the final cake layer, cut-side up, and brush with the remaining liqueur. Top with the remaining mousse and ganache. (The assembled cake should fill the pan.)
- Refrigerate the cake until the top is set, about 30 minutes, then wrap the whole cake pan with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight to set completely.
- Lift the cake out of the pan using the parchment pieces and transfer to a cutting board. Using a hot, dry serrated knife, slice the cake, wiping the knife in between cuts for clean edges.
Nutrition Facts
| Serving Size | 1 of 10 servings |
| Calories | 575 |
| Total Fat | 40 g |
| Saturated Fat | 24 g |
| Carbohydrates | 54 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 4 g |
| Sugar | 40 g |
| Protein | 6 g |
| Cholesterol | 138 mg |
| Sodium | 146 mg |
Reviews
I have made this three times Though I’ve doubled the cake recipe all the time. Imade the original way the first time, The second time I made I added 1 small box of Chocolate instant pudding mix. The batter will be thick like a good brownie batter. It also fits well in 9″ cake pans. When cooked it becomes a dense moist cake that has a real deep chocolate taste.
I made this and it was fabulous to look at and to eat! This is a new top of the leader board at our house. I didn’t have chocolate liqueur, so I used a light brushing of coffee liqueur instead. I served it with a plum pomegranate sauce on the side topped with a few berries to add a tart component that balanced the sweet wonderfully.
Loved it turned out great
I made it and I didn’t like it because the cake was too dry in spite of me following the recipe.The instructions were misleading about finishing up with the ganache.It didn’t look that way!
This is an excellent cake with a nice wow factor on the plate. You definitely have to be careful cutting it into the three layers and my layers were not quite as thick as the picture shows. It is doable, but I do feel the picture is a little misleading. I think it is very important to really whip the eggs and sugar well and get as much volume as you can at that stage, it will help with the overall volume of the batter and therefore maximize the height of the cake. I made it for a Valentines Day lunch I hosted and one of the guests is gluten free so I did sub in King Arthur gluten free flower with great results. Also cutting it with a hot knife and wiping it in between cuts is an excellent tip. It really made the pieces of cake nice and clean looking when plated. Also nice that you can make it a day or two ahead of time and it is still delicious. Overall, an excellent special occasion cake that I will definitely be making again.
It was difficult cutting the cake into three layers, it got a little messy during construction. Nevertheless, the cake came out beautifully and was worth the effort. Thanks!
I’ve just made the cake, but don’t see how I can get 3 layers out of it. Any suggestions?