Magnificent Chocolate Cake

This is an old-fashioned tube-pan chocolate cake, the kind your grandmother might have brought to a church social. Six ounces of unsweetened chocolate (not cocoa powder) give it a deeper, more bittersweet edge than most home-style chocolate cakes, and six eggs plus chopped nuts provide richness and texture without leaning cake-mix sweet. A tall 10-inch tube pan is essential. The batter is generous.

The two-minute beat after adding the initial wet ingredients and another two after the eggs and extra milk go in is what gives the crumb its tender, even structure. Rushing the mixing leaves a lumpy batter with pockets of unmelted chocolate. A long slow bake at 325°F (160°C) for nearly two hours lets the dense cake cook through without drying the edges or leaving the center gummy, but keep the toothpick test honest; every oven runs a little different.

Chef Tips

• Cool the melted chocolate thoroughly before adding. Warm chocolate will cook the eggs and can separate the batter.
• Tap the filled pan firmly on the counter 2 to 3 times to release air bubbles, or your cake will have dense hollow spots.
• Cool in the pan for a full 20 minutes before inverting. Flipping too early risks tearing the top off.
• Store the fully cooled cake under a cake dome at room temperature; refrigeration dries it out.

Variations

• Swap shortening for unsalted butter for a richer, more buttery flavor.
• Try pecans or walnuts for the nuts, or a mix of both.
• Dust with powdered sugar, drizzle with chocolate ganache, or serve plain with whipped cream and fresh berries.