Fran’s Dark Chocolate Espresso Mini Cakes ~ Small in quantity but dominating in flavor, the Fran in this cake is for Frangelico. It seeps and settles between the cake crumb to marry the chocolate and espresso in perfect unison.
Fran's Dark Chocolate Espresso Cake
By now, I’m sure you’ve noticed I like adding liqueurs, spirits, alcohol, wine, beer, cocktail mixes, booze, call it what you will, but I like the subtle complexity it adds to most desserts. Yes, of course I can do without—but why?
Aside from loving boozey desserts, I’ve been told I have an unhealthy chocolate and coffee dependency. Well, like any good addict I like company. . . . Calling all chocolate and coffee addicts, here’s another dessert to feed our addiction.
A few notes:
1. As always, no alcohol required. And as a rule I try not to add my alcohol to anything that goes in the oven, since it is often baked out. For that reason, I generally incorporate the alcohol into a simple syrup and brush it on the cake.
2. If you prefer to make mini cakes as I do, you will need NordicWare’s mini 8oz. bundt cake pan. If not, this cake uses a traditional 10 cup bundt pan.
3. For best results use a scale for this recipe.
4. If you don’t like Nutella or do not have any on hand omit that portion and increase the sour cream to 1 cup.
Fran’s Dark Chocolate Espresso Cake
Ingredients:
Dark Chocolate Espresso Cake:
¾ cup walnuts
½ cup sour cream
½ cup Nutella
3 teaspoons instant coffee (Starbucks Via) mixed in 4 tablespoons of water
½ cup sifted unsweetened cocoa powder (sifted before measuring)
3 large eggs, at room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups bleached all-purpose flour (sifted into a cup and leveled off)
1 ¼ cup turbinado sugar
1 ¼ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
¾ teaspoon salt
2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature
Cocoa Syrup:
¼ cup sifted unsweetened cocoa powder (sifted before measuring)
½ cup sugar
1/3 cup boiling water
¾ teaspoons vanilla extract
3 tablespoons Frangelico
INSTRUCTIONS:
Dark Chocolate Espresso Cake:
1. Coat pan with non-stick spray and lightly cover with flour.
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place rack in the lower third of oven.
3. Toast walnuts in oven by placing nuts on cookie sheet and bake for 7 minutes. Avoid burning by turning nuts once during toasting. To peel skins, place nuts on a tea towel and rub towel against nuts until skin is removed. Let cool completely. Transfer to food processor and pulse until nuts are medium fine. For a flavor but a no nut texture, continue to pulse nuts until they are finely chopped.
4. In a bowl, whisk sour cream, Nutella, instant coffee, cocoa powder, eggs, and vanilla until the batter is a lumpy muffin batter consistency.
5. In a bowl of a stand mixer and fitted with the flat beater, mix the ground walnuts, flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt on low speed for about 30 seconds. Add the butter and half the cocoa mixture. Mix on low speed until the dry ingredients are moistened. Raise the speed to medium and beat for 1 ½ minutes. With the mixer off between additions, add the remaining cocoa mixture in two parts, starting, on medium low speed and gradually raising the speed to medium. Beat on medium speed for 30 seconds after each addition to incorporate the ingredients and strengthen the structure.
6. Pour batter into pan. Bake 50-60minutes, or until an inserted wooden skewer is clean when removed. The cake should spring back when lightly pressed.
Cocoa Syrup:
1. In a small saucepan, whisk together cocoa and sugar. Add a small amount of the boiling water and whisk until all of the mixture is moistened. Whisk in the remaining boiling water and whisk until all of the mixture is moistened. Whisk in the remaining water
2. Bring mixture to a full rolling boil over low heat, stirring often. Remove it from the heat and allow it to cool slightly. Whisk in the vanilla and Frangelico.
3. Cover two large plates with enough plastic wrap to overhang by 6 to 8 inches all around. Turn cooled cake on to plastic onto one covered plate.
4. Using a skewer, pierce cake all around and brush Cocoa Syrup all over cake.
5. Retrieve the second plastic wrap plate and using the overhanging plastic wrap move the cake, turn the cake onto second plate.
5. Using a skewer, pierce cake all around and brush Cocoa Syrup all over cake once more.
6. Pour 6 oz. of melted chocolate cake
6. When ready to serve, invert cake and pour 6 oz. of melted chocolate on cake.
adapted from: Rose Levy Beranbaum
For the Nutella, is that 1/2 CUP?
Thanks.
I have a similar coffee and chocolate dependency. You’ve just taken the bundt to a new yummy level altogether… well dne!
.-= deeba´s last blog ..MACARONS with Matcha Macaron Buttercream Filling for Earth Day … Mac Attack #6 =-.
Yesterday I declared myself a coffee addict. So when your twitter said ‘calling all chocolate and coffee addicts’ I got a creepy feeling that you are inside of my brain calling just my name to read this. And of course I am going to make this! Looks so good!
.-= julia´s last blog ..Pizza Fondue =-.
Just made a chocolate cake using brewed coffee in the cake and espresso powder in the frosting. Love how coffee makes the chocolate taste better! Classic combo – one of my favorites. Love that your cake has hazelnut (Nutella, Frangelico) in it!
Hi Kaycee,
Sorry for the miss and thanks for bringing it to my attention. Yes, that’s 1/2 cup of Nutella.
Happy Baking! Naomi
If there is such a thing as chocolate heaven (what do you mean there isn’t?), I would be a happy girl with just this divine cake alone.
Looks too good to be true.
coffee and chocolate, a match made in heaven!
i’m drooling. This cake looks fantastic!
.-= Cherine´s last blog ..Shish Taouk – Grilled Chicken kebabs =-.
I love the hazelnut almost pistachio-y taste of Frangelico. The first time I tried it was at the BBC food show last year. So you know this espresso cake wins me over hands down. in fact, everything you’ve posted about that I’d read and ogled at I love xx
.-= diva´s last blog ..Princi Bakery Cafe: Art Thou My Safe Haven? =-.