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Active Time
1 hr
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Total Time
3 1/2 hr
This four-layer stunner may just render all your other chocolate-cake recipes obsolete. A generous amount of sour cream keeps the cake layers tender, and the frosting is a glossy triumph. It's a natural fit for practically any get-together—from a simple family birthday celebration to an elaborate dinner party.
Ingredients
Makes 10 to 12 servings
For cake
For frosting
Make cake:
Step 1
Preheat oven to 350°F with rack in middle. Butter cake pans, then line bottom of each with a round of parchment paper and butter parchment. Flour pans, knocking out excess.
Step 2
Melt chocolate with butter, then cool.
Step 3
Sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
Step 4
搅拌鸡蛋、糖和香草智慧在一个大碗里h an electric mixer at medium speed until pale and thick, 3 to 5 minutes. At low speed, mix in melted chocolate until incorporated, then add flour mixture in 3 batches alternately with sour cream, beginning and ending with flour mixture and mixing until each addition is just incorporated. Spread batter evenly in pans and rap pans several times on counter to eliminate air bubbles.
Step 5
Bake until cakes pull away from sides of pans and a wooden pick inserted in center of each comes out clean, 40 to 50 minutes.
Step 6
Cool in pans on a rack 10 minutes, then run a knife around edges of pans. Invert onto racks and discard parchment, then cool completely, about 1 hour.
Make frosting and assemble cake:
Step 7
一起搅拌糖、面粉、可可粉和pinch of salt in a small heavy saucepan over medium heat, then add milk and cook, whisking constantly, until mixture boils and is smooth and thick, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from heat and whisk in chocolate and vanilla until smooth. Transfer to a bowl to cool to room temperature, covering surface with parchment paper to prevent a skin from forming.
Step 8
Beat butter with an electric mixer until creamy, then add cooled chocolate mixture a little at a time, beating until frosting is fluffy and spreadable.
Step 9
Cut each cake horizontally into 2 layers with a long serrated knife. Put 1 layer on a cake stand or large plate and spread top with 1 1/4 cups frosting. Repeat with 2 more layers, then add remaining layer and spread top and side of cake with remaining frosting.
·Cake layers can be made 2 days ahead (but not split horizontally) and kept, wrapped tightly, at room temperature.
·Frosting can be made 2 days ahead and chilled, covered. Bring to room temperature (about 1 hour) and beat until fluffy before using.
·Cake can be frosted 1 day ahead and chilled, covered.
Leave a Review
Reviews (61)
Back to TopMy household is 4th generation snob chocolate cake bakers. We found this recipe to be outstanding! The perfect flavor and crumb....however, I think it is a little fiddly for beginning bakers, and you need to pay attention to ingredient quality, how full the pans are, and baking time for your specific oven. I have scaled it down successfully and used twice sifted normal flour for cake flour. We are making it again tomorrow. ;)
mage1966
Pullman, WA
2/8/2019
see my review below
rmm1022
New Jersey
1/8/2016
I made this cake twice 20 years ago when I used to subscribe to the magazine. I lost the recipe and have been searching online for years for it. I remember that if you do not follow the directions EXACTLY is just a regular cake. If you follow them exactly, and it is time consuming, it is magnificent. I recognized the ingredients and cannot wait to make this cake again!
rmm1022
New Jersey
1/8/2016
I reviewed the recipe for the cake below. I didn't make the frosting. After tasting the cake, I felt a Vanilla Italian Meringue buttercream would taste better. I will share if you want the recipe. I then topped the cupcakes with caramelized cocoa nibs... they were a hit!
allurechocolatier
Minneapolis, MN
9/3/2015
O.K., after reading the reviews, I made the cake; exactly as written. I made it into cupcakes and they turned out great. Moist and delicious. Here are some hints from a pro kitchen. 1. Use CAKE FLOUR! If you don't have it, use at least 1 tablespoon less flour per cup. Sift BEFORE measuring if you are using a measuring cup. 2. Use a scale, if you have one, instead of measuring cups. In my commercial bakery kitchen, scales are always used for accuracy. As you'll notice, not every volume cup is 8 ounces. Flour weighs about 4 1/2 ounces (135 grams) a cup and sugar is 7 ounces per volume cup. Here's a motto I have lived by in the kitchen; cooking is an art and baking is a science. If you don't know the science behind a recipe... don't mess with it! 3. Use the best quality ingredients you can find. 5. I used a whisk attachment to beat the eggs and sugar, then incorporate the chocolate/butter mixture. Finish the flour and sour cream with the paddle. 6. here's some weight equivalents for the recipe: Butter, 9 ounces, 255 grams CAKE flour, 12 3/8 ounces or 12.4 ounces or 350 grams. Unsweetened cocoa - 1 ounce, 30 grams Granulated Sugar - 7 ounces or 200 grams. TIP, if you have "baking sugar" it is a good idea in this recipe as it makes the cupcake a bit moister. The "baking" sugar whips into the eggs better. To make it, just place regular granulated sugar in a food processor (or blender)for about 15-20 seconds. No need to pay extra for the stuff! Brown Sugar - 8 ounces, 227 grams. You can round down to 225 or up to 230 with no effect.. up to you. Sour Cream, 16 ounces. I also tried another batch with 8 ounces sour cream and 8 ounces buttermilk. They are a tiny bit more moist but about the same.
allurechocolatier
Minneapolis. MN
9/3/2015
The word from here is dry, dry, dry and crumbly. I never had a cake that has come out like that. To start with there was way too much batter for 8 inch pans. It tried to run over. It would have been better to use a 9 or even a 10 inch pan so that you wouldn't have to bake it so long to get it done. I didn't even want to try the frosting recipe as I already wasted chocolate, cocoa and lots of butter on the cake. I followed the recipe to the letter. I won't be making this one again.
threetiers
Washington
10/31/2012
You have to understand how to bake to make this cake. First, whoever heard of just letting a cake cook the recommended time wthout starting to check it 10 minutes earlier? As to the ingredients, it truly is important to use high quality ingredients---used 80% cacao chocolate with great results. If the frosting is getting too 'greasy'for your taste, then stop one stick of butter short.
HFEtlin
New York
9/11/2012
Delish...... !
peppersauce
NY
5/16/2012
For the cook below: the instructions weren't in error. It's simply easier to whisk the milk in to dry ingredients already incorporated, and there's no harm in turning on the stove just before you pour the milk in. I almost didn't make this, mostly due to the poor reviews of the frosting. The frosting was excellent- much lighter and less sweet than the buttercream frostings so common in the US. The flavor and texture are much more like a meringue buttercream. So while it's a much faster and easier way to achieve that result, just like a meringue buttercream, it also means that if you try to eat a chilled cake, it's going to be like sucking on a stick of butter- not pleasant. Left at room temperature this was light and very tasty. Will definitely become a go-to, weather permitting.
Anonymous
Michigan
5/3/2012
Not a lot of flavor for all that work. Cake was dry, would suggest baking for less time. Also noticed error in frosting recipe. It says to place sugar, cocoa powder, and flour and heat. Then add milk. I would suggest the opposite. I would suggest another recipe.
Anonymous
Raleigh, NC
2/15/2012
I've made this cake twice now: it never fails to impress. It is marvelous. Extremely rich. Not too sweet, just the right consistency. People did not believe that I made this cake at home.
roxbury86
New York, NY
2/6/2012
I absolutely love this cake! The frosting turned out fabulous.....my teenagers were eating it off of the spatula. Maybe making it in the winter, with less humidity, helped with it's success.
crmclaughlin
St. Louis, MO
12/26/2011
I have not made this cake yet, I plan on doing it tonight however I am seeing where a lot of people are saying its dry/heavy. I wanted to point out, if you are using all purpose flour for the cake instead of cake flour, it will be dry unless you portion it right. The general rule of substitution is 1 cup of all purpose flour minus 2 tablespoons (1c 2tbsp) is equivalent to 1 cup of cake flour. So it would be 2 3/4 cups flour MINUS 4 tablespoons then minus 1 1/2 tsp. Remember to measure AFTER you sift. Hopefully that helps :)
adams2011
Texas
8/31/2011
I wish I had read the comments before baking this one! The cake wasn't bad but the frosting was terrible! I was truely disappointed. The frosting was not sweet enough.
apcampbl
Upper Marlboro, MD
4/3/2011
Great cake, terrible frosting. Use a different frosting recipe. Even a basic powdered sugar, cocoa, and butter recipe would be better than this buttery, watery grotesquery.
judalicious
Saint Paul, MN
1/31/2011
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