Chocolate Espresso Cake

Coffee and chocolate were made for each other. Espresso doesn’t make a cake taste like coffee. It deepens and intensifies the chocolate, which is why every great chocolate cake recipe quietly slips in a spoonful. This one uses two full cups of brewed espresso, putting it on full display.

Mixing the cocoa powder with hot espresso first is the technique worth understanding. The hot liquid blooms the cocoa, dissolving the cocoa solids and unlocking the deepest chocolate flavor possible. Stirring dry cocoa straight into batter is the lazy way and gives you a flatter, less complex result.

The almond extract is the secret ingredient that surprises everyone. Three-quarters of a teaspoon is just enough to add a marzipan whisper without anyone identifying it. Pair almond with chocolate and the chocolate tastes richer. It’s an old French baking trick.

Alternating the wet and dry additions into the butter mixture is what keeps the batter from breaking. Add too much liquid at once and the emulsion seizes. Tablespoon at a time, scrape down the bowl, repeat.

A moderate 325°F (165°C) oven is the right temperature. Higher heat domes the cake and dries the edges before the center sets.

Chef Tips

• Use Dutch-processed cocoa for the smoothest, deepest chocolate flavor. Natural cocoa is more acidic and will react differently with the baking soda.
• Pull a fresh shot or two of espresso, or use 2 cups of strong brewed coffee. Instant espresso powder dissolved in hot water works in a pinch.
• Cool the espresso slightly before mixing with the cocoa. Boiling espresso scorches cocoa and adds bitterness.
• A toothpick test is reliable here. Pull when it comes out with a few moist crumbs, not wet batter.

Variations

• Top with a coffee-flavored ganache or espresso buttercream for a coffee-on-coffee finish.
• Stir in a cup of chopped semisweet chocolate chunks for melty pockets throughout.
• Add a tablespoon of Kahlua or Bailey’s to the batter for an adults-only twist.