Equipment
- 9-inch springform pan
- 9-inch round pre-cut parchment paper
- baking spray
- mixing bowl
- microwaveable plastic containers or bowls
- spatula
- whisk
- knife
Ingredients For Cake
- 5 cups best quality bittersweet chocolate
- 5 cups white sugar
- 5 sticks unsalted butter (room temperature)
- 4 large eggs (room temperature)
- 1 TB vanilla extract
- large pinch of kosher salt
- 1 TB espresso powder or coffee extract
- 3 TB best quality unsweetened cocoa powder
Ingredients For Whipped Cream (Optional)
- 1 cup cold heavy whipping cream
- 2 TB white sugar
- 2 TB powdered sugar
- 1 TB vanilla extract
- 2 TB creme fraiche or sour cream
Instructions
- preheat oven to 350-degrees fahrenheit
- spray pan with baking spray; insert parchment round into pan over sprayed surface; spray parchment with baking spray
- combine chocolate, sugar, butter, vanilla, salt, espresso powder, and cocoa powder
- microwave chocolate mixture for about 2 mins in 30-second intervals–don’t overheat
- stir until smooth and blended
- mix in the 4 eggs until fully incorporated
- mixture should be smooth (not grainy) and shiny/glossy
- pour into prepared springform pan
- bang pan on counter to release any air bubbles
- bake at 350-degrees for ~40-50 mins until top gets a crack in it–don’t overbake
- let cool / bring to room temperature
- while cooling, make the whipped cream (optional)
- in a bowl using a whisk or using a mixer with the whisk attachment, beat the cold heavy whipping cream
- after about a minute add both sugars and the vanilla until soft peaks form
- add the creme fraiche / sour cream until stiffer peaks form–don’t beat too long or it will turn to butter
- store in a plastic container in refrigerator until ready to serve
- if you don’t want to serve with whipped cream you can serve with vanilla or coffee ice cream, fresh berries, etc.
- using knife, cut around edges of the cake; unhinge pan; run knife along bottom of cake, separating it from paper round
- do not ever refrigerate the cake and don’t serve it warm either–only at room temperature
- makes 1 cake with about 8-10 slices
Every time I make it people say it’s the best dessert they’ve ever eaten. And so there’s something about that, aside from all the history of my life experiences. But there’s something about it that I think is so analogous to so many aspects of life. And what I do for a living, which is the simplicity is profound. The final product is mind blowing, and exceeds expectations. And so for me, I take away from that that, you know, simplicity, high quality, high impact. I’ll bring it back to inspire. I feel like that’s what we’re trying to do every day in our work is kind of fit for purpose and but amazingly exceptional. So it’s a that would be clearly the thing that I would highlight. And I’m happy to share the recipe and then add your viewers.