I recently had a small mention on the lovely shopping site Pocket Change "Best of the Web" section. If you're interested in doing a little online shopping or visiting their great "tips center" click on the link http://pocketchange.become.com/2011/10/best-of-the-web-no-35.html 

 Back to Chocolate Cake.  It seems to me it is a very personal matter. Some like it sweet, some dense and chewy, others crave a mousse like confection.  This is my current favorite when the mood strikes.  Chocolate sponge, chocolate chips and chocolate glaze result in a fairly intense chocolate fix.  I'm loving my bundt pan at the moment, my cakes turn out looking like an architectural delight - without the slightest effort on my part. 

If you weren't going for such an intense chocolate experience you could make the sponge vanilla, by adding 3 cups of flour and omitting the cocoa powder.  Your choice.


For the sponge

2 sticks of unsalted butter (room temperature)
1 1/2 cups of sugar
4 eggs (room temperature)
3/4 cup of sour cream (room temperature)
1/4 cup of coffee
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups of all purpose flour
1/2 cup of cocoa powder (I use Hershey's)
1 1/2 teaspoons of baking powder
1/2 teaspoon of baking soda
1/2 teaspoon of salt
1/2 cup of chocolate chips (tossed in 1 tablespoon of all purpose flour)

For the glaze

1 cup of heavy cream
1 cup of chocolate chips

Heat the oven to 350F

Grease and flour a 10 cup bundt pan.

Beat the butter and sugar until really light and fluffy.

Add the eggs one at a time.  Scrape down the bowl after each addition.

Mix together the sour cream, coffee and vanilla extract.

In another bowl mix together the flour, cocoa, baking powder, soda and salt.

In another bowl toss the chocolate chips in a tablespoon of flour and set aside.

Add half the flour mixture to the sugar and egg mixture. Combine gently.

Add the sour cream mixture and gently beat until just combined.

Add the remainder of the flour mixture and fold in.

Add the chocolate chips and gently fold in.

Pour the batter into the pan and bake for 50 - 1 hour.  The cake is cooked when a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Cool in the the pan for 5 minutes and then turn out onto a wire rack to cool thoroughly.

To make the glaze, combine the chocolate chips and the cream in a saucepan over a medium/low heat.

Stir until the chocolate has melted and the mixture is a smooth velvety consistency. 

Place a large plate under the cake and pour the glaze over the cake.

Let set and serve.