Yum Yum Cake

Yum yum cake is one of those generationally-passed American church-cookbook desserts whose name tells you everything and nothing. The real draw is simplicity: a sour cream and cocoa layer cake frosted in melted semi-sweet chocolate chips, no fancy technique required.

Sour cream in the batter does triple duty. The acidity activates the baking soda for lift, the fat keeps the crumb tender well past day two, and the tang balances the heavy sweetness of the cocoa and sugar. Skip the sour cream and you’d end up with a dry, flat, one-note cake.

Simple as it is, the baking basics matter. Butter and flour the pans properly before filling, not just one or the other. Measured flour should be spooned and leveled, not scooped, otherwise the cake bakes heavy and dry. These two habits are the difference between a great yum yum cake and a mediocre one.

Kitchen Tips

• Bring eggs, butter, and sour cream to full room temperature before mixing. Cold ingredients make a lumpy batter that bakes unevenly.
• Bake at 350°F (180°C) for 25 to 30 minutes. Test at 25 minutes with a toothpick: clean or near-clean means pull it.
• For the frosting, melt the chocolate chips over a double boiler or in short microwave bursts stirred between. Direct heat scorches chocolate fast.
• Cool layers completely before frosting. Warm cake melts melted-chocolate frosting into a runny puddle that never sets.

Variations

• Stir a handful of mini chocolate chips into the batter for pockets of melt inside the crumb.
• Add a teaspoon of espresso powder or a tablespoon of strong brewed coffee to deepen the chocolate flavor.
• Dust the finished frosted cake with flaky sea salt and serve slightly warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.