Chocolate Cake with Sugar Syrup
Submitted by inavee
Chocolate cake with coffee syrup: a moist, fine-crumbed chocolate butter cake with cocoa bloomed in boiling water, brushed with a Kahlua-spiked sugar syrup that deepens the chocolate. Bakery-quality at home.
YIELD
12 servingsPREP
30 minCOOK
1 hrsREADY
3 hrsThis is a baker’s chocolate cake, the kind with a velvety, fine crumb and deep flavor that comes from technique as much as ingredients. The first move sets it apart: cocoa is whisked into boiling water and cooled, blooming the chocolate flavor so it opens up fuller and rounder than dry cocoa ever could.
The mixing method matters too. Rather than creaming butter and sugar, the softened butter and part of the liquid go straight into the dry ingredients, then the batter is beaten to develop a tight, tender, even crumb, a more foolproof route to a moist chocolate cake.
The finishing touch is a brush of sugar syrup spiked with Kahlua. Painted onto the warm cake, it soaks in for extra moistness and adds a quiet coffee note that sits in the background, sharpening the chocolate without tasting like coffee.
The result keeps beautifully wrapped airtight, and slices into clean, moist pieces.
Chef Tips
- Bloom the cocoa in boiling water and let it cool fully before mixing; this deepens the chocolate flavor noticeably.
- Tent the cake loosely with foil partway through baking so the top doesn’t over-brown before the center sets.
- Brush the warm cake with the coffee syrup so it absorbs; a cold cake just lets it sit on top.
- The cake should pull away from the pan only after it comes out of the oven, a sign it is baked through but still moist.
Variations
- Leave out the Kahlua for an alcohol-free syrup, or use brewed coffee instead.
- Glaze with chocolate ganache for an even richer cake.
- Add a teaspoon of espresso powder to the batter to push the mocha flavor.
Ingredients
Directions
Preheat oven to 350℉ (180℃) Get one 8-inch by 4-inch by 2½-inch loaf pan (4-cups)-- most attractive size -- or any 6 cup loaf or fluted tube pan, greased and floured.
If using a loaf pan, grease it.
In a medium mixing bowl whisk together the cocoa and water until smooth. Allowto cool to room temperature and lightly whisk in the vanilla and eggs. In a large mixing bowl combine the remaining dry ingredients and mix on low speed for 30 seconds to blend.
Add ½ the chocolate mixture and the butter.
Mix on low speed until the dry ingredients are moistened. Increase to medium speed (high speed if using hand mixer) and beat for 1 minute to aerate and develop the cake’s structure. Scrape down the sides.
Gradually add the remaining chocolate mixture in 2 batches, beating 20 seconds after each addition to incorporate the ingredients and strengthen the structure.
Scrape down the sides.
Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the surface with a spatula.
The batter will be almost ½ inch from the top of a 4-cup pan. (If your pan is slightly smaller, use any excess batter for cupcakes.)
Bake for 50 to 60 minutes (40 to 50 minutes in a fluted tube pan) or until a wooden toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Tent loosely with buttered foil after 20 minutes to prevent overbrowning. THE CAKE SHOULD START TO SHRINK AWAY FROM THE SIDES OF THE PAN ONLY AFTER REMOVAL FROM THE OVEN.
Let the cake cool in the pan on a rack for 10 minutes.
Loosen the sides with a metal spatula and invert onto a greased wire rack. If baked in a loaf pan, to keep the bottom from splitting, reinvert so that the top is up and cool completely before wrapping airtight.
There is a coffee syrup recipe that goes with this for extra moistness and a subtle coffee accent.
In a small pan, stir together ¼ cup water and 2 tablespoons sugar. Bring to a full rolling boil.
Cover and remove from heat.
When cool, add 1 tablespoon Kahlua.
When cake is baked, brush half the syrup onto the top.
Cool the cake 10 minutes and invert it onto a lightly greased rack.
Brush the bottom and sides with remaining syrup.
Reinvert onto rack, top side up, to finish cooling.
Coffee flavor stays in background, accentuating the chocolate.
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