This super chocolaty cake is gorgeous. It rises high in the oven, only to slump back on itself, creating a light crisp top and fudgy center. The ingredient list is fairly straightforward, but the power of eggs helps make this cake special. Whipped egg yolks, along with a generous amount of butter and chocolate, give this cake richness, and pillowy meringue lightens the batter and helps the cake rise to a dramatic finish. Serve slices straight up or with ice cream or a bit of lightly sweetened whipped cream spiked with vanilla or rum. For the richest chocolate flavor, use a chocolate that has around 70% cacao.
Chocolate Soufflé Cake
Ingredients:
• 3/4 cup/170 grams unsalted butter, cut into pieces, plus more for greasing the pan
• 2 cups/300 grams finely chopped bittersweet chocolate (not chips; see Tip), preferably around 70% cacao
• 1 cup/200 grams granulated sugar
• 5 large eggs
• 2 tablespoons dark rum (optional but tasty)
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon instant espresso powder (optional but tasty)
• 3/4 teaspoon fine salt
• 2 teaspoons cocoa powder, to garnish
• Lightly sweetened whipped cream or ice cream, to serve
Directions:
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9-inch springform pan and line the bottom with parchment paper.
In a large heat-safe bowl set over a pot of simmering water, or in a microwave, melt the butter and chocolate together; stir until smooth.
Add 1/4 cup/50 grams of the sugar to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attach ment. Separate four of the eggs and add the yolks and remaining whole egg to the sugar in the stand mixer bowl. (Alternatively, you can use a large bowl and handheld electric mixer.) Beat on medium-high speed until light in color, foamy and about doubled in volume, about 5 minutes. The egg mixture should fall from the whisk in ribbons.
Add the egg mixture to the melted chocolate mixture. Add the rum (if using), vanilla, espresso powder (if using) and salt; fold gently until combined and no streaks remain.
Wash and dry the mixer bowl, add the remaining egg whites and beat on medium-high until foamy. Slowly add the remaining 3/4 cup/150 grams sugar, about 1 tablespoon at a time, and beat until soft peaks form, about 4 minutes.
Add about 1 cup of the egg white mixture to the chocolate mixture and fold until well combined. Add the remaining egg white mixture and fold gently until well combined. Transfer the batter to the pan and smooth the top.
Bake the cake until puffed slightly over the edge of the pan and the edges are set but the center is still wobbly, 25-30 minutes.
Let the cake cool in the pan set on a wire rack for about 30 minutes, until room temperature or just a tiny bit warm. Carefully run a thin knife or offset spatula around the sides of the pan, then remove the ring. Dust with cocoa powder and serve at room temperature or just slightly warm, with whipped cream or ice cream. Use a warm, clean, dry knife for the tidiest slices. Loosely cover any leftover cake and store in the refrigerator for up to three days.
Total time: 1 hour, plus cooling, makes one 9-inch cake (6-8 servings).
Tip:
Opt for chopped chocolate bars instead of chips for this recipe, as chips contain stabilizers that will negatively affect the texture of the finished cake.
