Chocolate Cake with Espresso Glaze

Sometimes life just calls for a big slice of rich and fudgy chocolate cake..right? We’ll the other day I got a real craving for it; I mean…I got it bad. So, what to do? Well, make some cake of course!

This is a simple and classic chocolate cake. The secret is that it is made with sour cream to keep it nice and moist and instead of making it with boiling water; I make mine with brewed espresso which adds a real depth of flavor. The cake is then topped with an espresso glaze. I mean, chocolate and espresso, does it get any better than that? Enjoy! 

Chocolate Cake

2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, broken into pieces

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature (plus 1 teaspoon melted)

1 cup plus 1 tsp. cake flour

1 tsp. baking soda

¼ tsp. salt

1 cup packed light brown sugar

2 eggs

½ tsp. vanilla extract

½ cup of brewed espresso

½ cup sour cream

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Heat 2 ounces of chocolate in the microwave on 30 second intervals, until smooth and melted.

Lightly coat a 9 by 1 ½ inch cake pan with the 1 teaspoon melted butter and flour with 1 tsp. cake flour. Combine the flour, baking soda and salt in a sifter. Sift into a bowl and set aside.

Combine the brown sugar and butter in a bowl and beat with an electric mixer on low for 2 minutes, scrape down the sides of the bowl and beat on high for another 2 minutes. Add your eggs, one at a time and beat for two minutes. Add the melted chocolate and vanilla. Beat for 30 seconds.

Slowly add the flour and sour cream into the chocolate/egg mix. Mix for 30 seconds and add the brewed espresso. Mix for another 30 seconds or until smooth. Pour into prepared pan and bake for 45 minutes. Allow it to cool for at least an hour before adding the espresso glaze….

Espresso Glaze

½ cup powdered sugar

2 tbsp. cocoa powder

1 tbsp. espresso powder

4 tsp. hot water

½ tsp. vanilla extract

Stir together the powdered sugar and cocoa in a small bowl. Dissolve the espresso powder in hot water, add to the sugar mix and stir until blended. Pour over the entire cake once it has cooled. It should flow over the entire cake, but feel free to use a spatula to spread it over the cake and allow it to drip a little over the sides. Enjoy!