A Gooey, Decadent Chocolate Cake

Recipe courtesy Tyler Florence

Show: Tyler's UltimateEpisode: Chocolate Dessert

Rated: 4 stars out of 5Rate itRead users' reviews (63)

RECIPE
COMMENTS & REVIEWS(63)

Cook Time:
35 min
Level:
Intermediate
Yield:
6 to 8 servings

Times:

Prep: 1 hr 0 min
Inactive Prep: 45 min
Cook: 35 min
Total:: 2 hr 20 min

Recipe Tools:

Select a Card Size

Add To My Recipe Box

Success

This recipe was added to your Folder_Name folder.

Do not show this message again

Add To My Recipe Box

Please sign in to add this recipe to your Recipe Box.

Ingredients

2 1/2 cups cake flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 cups sugar
3 1/2 ounces semisweet or bittersweet dark chocolate, melted and cooled
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups cold water
Chambourd raspberry liqueur, for drizzling
Chocolate Chip Butter Cream, recipe follows
Dark chocolate shavings, for decoration

Directions

Position an oven rack in the center of the oven and pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees F.

In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, and salt; set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream the butter and the sugar until light and fluffy. Add the cooled chocolate and vanilla and beat for 3 minutes to incorporate. Beat in the eggs one at a time. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and beat for another 3 minutes. Gradually mix in the dry ingredients in 3 batches, alternating with the cold water. Beat for 1 minute after each addition to incorporate the ingredients. Mix until the batter is smooth.

Coat 2 (9-inch) round cake pans with non-stick cooking spray. Cut 2 circles of parchment paper to fit the pan bottoms and place them inside the pans; then spray the paper for added non-stick insurance. Pour batter into the prepared pans and smooth the surface with a spatula; the pans should be 2/3 full. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, see Cook's note*.

Leave to cool for 40 minutes. Turn the cakes out of the pans and remove the paper. Drizzle them with a few tablespoons of Chambourd. With a metal spatula, spread 1/2 cup butter cream on top 1 of the layers. Start in the center and work your way out. Carefully place the second layer on top. Smooth the sides with butter cream, then spread the rest over the top so that the cake is completely covered. Refrigerate for 5 minutes before decorating or cutting.

With a large knife scrape some shavings from a block of dark chocolate. Scatter shavings over cake.

*Cook's note. The cake is cooked when a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean and the cake springs back when touched

Chocolate Chip Butter Cream:

3 cups powdered sugar

7 tablespoons hot water

4 ounces dark chocolate, melted and cooled

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1/2 stick unsalted butter, at room temperature

1/4 cup semisweet dark chocolate, finely chopped

In the bowl of an electric mixer, dissolve the sugar and water at low speed. Beat in the dark chocolate and vanilla. Add butter gradually in small bits. Mix until everything is completely incorporated. Using a spatula, fold in the chopped chocolate and give a final quick spin.

Yield: 6 to 8 servings

Preparation Time: 10 minutes

Next Recipe

More recipes? Try these recommendations:

Similar Recipes

All About…

Recipe Collections

Showing 1-10 of 14

View all 14 Cake Collections

Comments & Reviews

recipe A Gooey, Decadent Chocolate Cake
Lisa Springfield, VA 11-08-2009
Flag

Family Favorite
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

Everyone in our family requests this cake for their birthday. It is awesome! It is both decadent and moist. Well worth the... effort and trouble. The icing tastes like homemade fudge.Read more
recipe A Gooey, Decadent Chocolate Cake
Sue Wellington, CA 10-25-2009
Flag

Very disappointing - keep looking
Rated: 1 stars out of 5

I made this cake for my family yesterday . Although I had read some disappointing reviews I thought, hey I can cook better... than they can - so I made it anyway. I made it in two pans as recommended. I think other cooks had made it in one pan - hence the falling or undercooking problem. I cooked the two cake pans for 35 minutes. However there was not enough chocolate flavour in the batter, so I too added cocoa powder - as suggested by other reviewers. The cake looked perfect but unfortunately did not deliver on taste. It lacked intense chocolate flavour and can hardly be called decadent. I won't make this cake again or recommend it to anyone. I am now on a quest to find the ulitimate chocolate cake. Read more
recipe A Gooey, Decadent Chocolate Cake
Reena Las Vegas, NV 12-22-2008
Flag

Use a Bunt Pan
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

I read all the reviews because I am new to baking. However, I used a bunt pan because of the middle of the cake being too... soft. I also used regular flour. The cake did end up being too soft after baking for 40 min so I baked it for another 20 min. I also added 1/2 cup of Coca Powder. It was great, not too sweet for my husband. I also made a butter cream icining. It was a hit!!!Read more
recipe A Gooey, Decadent Chocolate Cake
Anonymous 06-01-2008
Flag

good solid cake
Rated: 4 stars out of 5

I am not much of a baker, but had great luck with this cake and it was delicious. It is a sweet cake. Recommend making sure... ingredients are cool to avoid melting issues. Also use ice cold water in cake batter for good success. Cake cooks longer than 30 minutes. more like 40-45Read more
recipe A Gooey, Decadent Chocolate Cake
Jeremy Rockwell, NC 05-23-2008
Flag

Tips to make the recipe work-FANTASTIC CAKE!!!
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

I made this cake for a Mothers Day get together and now my family is begging me to make more. First problem to address is the... cake falling, I did not have a problem with this and the only thing I can attribute it to is that I used non-stick 9" cake pans with the bottom lined with parchment paper like Tyler did on the show. The cake is very light so the way you put it in the pan is the way it will come out so spread it in evenly. I know that when I bake a normal cake I put more batter to the outside of the pan because the middle rises so much, but this cake is different so it must be even before baking. Also, do not open the oven at all until you are ready to test the center and be quick about testing it, the cake is so light that heat loss could make the structure fall. Even after it cools all the way it will be difficult to work with because it is so light. Run a butter knife or a metal spatula around the sides before attempting to take it out of the pan and just be gentle. Now the icing, when I made it the first time I also did not like the consistency and my culinary genius wife suggested we fold it into some whipping cream and 'Viola!' it came out perfect. First fill a large mixing bowl with ice water and put a smaller metal bowl inside and let it chill for a few minutes. Then take a pint of heavy whipping cream in the cold metal bowl and beat it with a whisk (hand or electric) while adding about 1/2 cup of powdered sugar. Whip until stiff peaks form and then gently fold the cooled icing mixture and chocolate bar pieces into the whipped cream. Don't overfold or you'll wreck the structure of the whipped cream. Spread icing and enjoy. If you have any questions please email me at theirishson@yahoo.com under the heading 'CAKE' and I'll try to help as best I can.Read more
recipe A Gooey, Decadent Chocolate Cake
Anonymous 04-13-2008
Flag

Wooo
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

This cake was very delicious, not too rich. It was pretty fluffy and baked well, though we had a bit of a problem with it... slightly collapsing. It may not have looked good, but it tasted good and there were no complaints.Read more