Chocolate Sour Cream Bundt Cake Cooks Illustrated Food

CHOCOLATE SOUR CREAM BUNDT CAKE (COOK'S ILLUSTRATED)

Steps:

• FOR THE PAN: Stir together butter and cocoa in small bowl until paste forms; using a pastry brush, coat all interior surfaces of standard 12-cup Bundt pan, see illustration below. (If mixture becomes too thick to brush on, microwave it for 10 to 20 seconds, or until warm and softened.) Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position; heat oven to 350°F.
• FOR THE CAKE: Combine cocoa, chocolate, and espresso powder (if using) in medium heatproof bowl; pour boiling water over and whisk until smooth. Cool to room temperature; then whisk in sour cream. Whisk flour, salt, and baking soda in second bowl to combine.
• In standing mixer fitted with flat beater, beat butter, sugar, and vanilla on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Reduce speed to medium and add eggs one at a time, mixing about 30 seconds after each addition and scraping down bowl with rubber spatula after first 2 additions. Reduce to medium-low speed (batter may appear separated); add about one third of flour mixture and half of chocolate/sour cream mixture and mix until just incorporated, about 20 seconds. Scrape bowl and repeat using half of remaining flour mixture and all of remaining chocolate mixture; add remaining flour mixture and beat until just incorporated, about 10 seconds. Scrape bowl and mix on medium-low until batter is thoroughly combined, about 30 seconds.
• Pour batter into prepared Bundt pan, being careful not to pour batter on sides of pan. Bake until wooden skewer inserted into center comes out with few crumbs attached, 45 to 50 minutes. Cool in pan 10 minutes, then invert cake onto parchment-lined wire rack; cool to room temperature, about 3 hours. Dust with confectioners' sugar, transfer to serving platter, and cut into wedges.

SOUR CREAM DARK CHOCOLATE CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour three 9-inch round baking pans.
• Dissolve cocoa powder in boiling water in a bowl; set aside to cool completely.
• Beat white sugar and canola oil together in a bowl with an electric mixer until smooth; add eggs, one at time, beating well after each addition. Stir vanilla extract into creamed mixture.
• Sift flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt together in a separate bowl. Mix flour mixture and sour cream alternately into the creamed mixture. Beat cocoa mixture into batter until incorporated. Pour batter into the prepared baking pans.
• Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted in the center of each cake comes out clean, 30 to 35 minutes. Cool in the pans for 10 minutes before removing to cool completely on a wire rack. Wrap cakes in plastic wrap and store in refrigerator.
• Beat butter in a bowl with an electric mixer until creamy and smooth; scrape down sides of bowl with a rubber spatula. Mix confectioners' sugar, 1/2 cup at a time, into the creamed butter until sugar is incorporated. Add salt and beat on medium-high until frosting is light and fluffy, about 5 minutes.
• Place one cake on a serving plate; spread 1/4 the frosting on the top of cake. Place second cake on the frosting layer; spread 1/4 the frosting on second cake. Place the third cake atop the second cake. Spread the remaining frosting on the top cake and around sides of entire layer cake.

CHOCOLATE SOUR CREAM BUNDT CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
• Spray 15 cup Bundt pan very well with baking spray.
• Combine cocoa powder and chopped chocolate.
• Add boiling water and whisk until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth.
• Set aside.
• In bowl combine flour, baking soda and salt then set aside.
• In large mixing bowl beat butter on medium speed until smooth and creamy, about 1 minute.
• Reduce speed to low and add brown sugar and beat until blended then beat on medium until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes.
• Add eggs a little at a time, scraping down sides until combined.
• Add vanilla and beat about 1 minute.
• Reduce speed to low and add flour mixture in three additions alternately with sour cream, beginning with and ending with flour.
• Beat just until blended and no lumps of flour remain.
• Slowly pour in the melted chocolate mixture and beat until no white streaks are visible, scraping down sides occasionally.
• Gently fold in chocolate chips.
• Pour batter in prepared pan spreading batter so the sides are about 1 inch higher than the center.
• Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with only a few moist crumbs, about 60 to 65 minutes.
• Transfer pan to a wire rack and let cool for about 15 minutes.
• Using a serrated knife gently saw off any excess cake that extends over the edge of the pan.
• Invert pan onto cooling rack and let cake cool completely.
• Ganache:.
• In heatproof bowl combine chocolate and butter.
• In small saucepan over medium-high heat bring cream just to a boil then immediately pour cream over the chocolate and butter.
• Whisk until melted and smooth.
• Place in refrigerator and let ganache thicken slightly.
• Spoon ganache over cooled cake allowing the ganache to drip down the sides.
• Let the cake stand until ganache is set at least 30 minutes.