I know it’s been a while since I posted any recipes. I haven’t really had much time to experiment lately but last week I ventured into the world of French baking and it was a disaster! Or so it seemed, not because Evan tried to eat every piece of chocolate I was putting on the scale, but because my cake came out very very wobbly in the middle after I followed the instructions religiously.
It turns out that after cooking an almost-flourless cake it is ok to let the cake cool down and finish baking outside. The end result: a scrumptious, moist in the inside (almost fudge-like), crispy outside, little slice of chocolate heaven.
Here’s the recipe for what many are calling the little black dress chocolate cake that everyone should know and maybe memorize. Dress it up, dress it down, and enjoy it all the way thru.
Little Black Dress Chocolate Cake
Adapted from: Taste Australia
Ingredients
225g butter, chopped
225g 70% dark cooking chocolate, coarsely chopped (I used what I had home, Cadbury semi-bitter and bitter)
225g sugar
5 eggs
1 heaped tablespoon plain flour
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease and line the base and sides of a 8″ spring form cake pan. (I just used a round pan because I didn’t have any spring form pans)
- Place the butter and chocolate in a heatproof bowl over gently simmering water in Bain Marie (do not let the bowl touch the water). It is important to let the chocolate and butter melt very gently together, once melted, stir until smooth. Remove the bowl from the heat and cool slightly.
- Add the sugar, beating in with a wooden spoon, until well combined.
- Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well between each addition. Make sure you beat very thoroughly. This is key to making the cake fudgy but firm.
- Sift over the flour and gently fold until just combined.
- Pour into the prepared pan. Bake in preheated oven for 25 minutes or until the cake still has a slight wobble but will firm on cooling.
- Set aside to cool slightly. Remove from pan and place on a serving plate.
Yum this looks so good! I have a similar go-to recipe that is more brownie than cake: salted fudge brownies (http://lavieoverseas.com/2012/04/25/entertaining-as-a-foreign-service-wife/). Also, you can never go wrong with classic Nestle Toll House chocolate chip cookies (the recipe on the bag of the bag)!
My favorite cookies are the oatmeal chocolate chip, they always turn out really goo. I looked at the brownie recipe and I will have to try to make them some time!!!
Loving your posts! I will definitely have to give this cake a try….when I have my baking stuff back! 🙂
Thanks Kristen! This was surprisingly good! I know you’ll have tons of fun backing back home, although it seemed like Switzerland had some amazing fresh ingredients!
I too have a little black dress cake (Molly Weisinberg’s Winning Hearts and Minds Cake) and I make it constantly, the perfect thing to have on hand for after a dinner party. I think it tastes even better frozen and de-thawed a little!
I will have to give it a try! I love chocolate cake, more than any other flavors, but I’m not really into chocolate icing.
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