Ingredient

195 g cake and pastry flour

295 g superfine sugar

60 g Dutch processed cocoa powder

4g baking salt

2g salt

115 g unsalted butter

125 ml of hot brewed coffee

125 ml milk

5 ml vanilla extract

2 large eggs

340g semi-sweet chocolate

425 ml cup of fresh cream

125 ml sour cream

3 ml teaspoon vanilla extract

1 pinch of salt

Instruct

1. For the cake, preheat the oven to 350ºF (180ºC). Grease 2 8-inch cake pans and line the bottom with parchment paper. Sprinkle flour over the sides of the pan, lightly tapping the excess.

2. Sift flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt into a large mixing bowl or into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a stirrer. Add the chopped butter (if in a large bowl, use a whisk) until the mixture becomes crumbly (like the texture of fine breadcrumbs) and no large chunks of butter are visible.

3. Stir the hot coffee, milk and vanilla together then add it all to the flour mixture, mixing until smooth. Crack the eggs into a small plate and stir with a fork, then into the flour, mixing again on medium speed until smooth (the dough will be very liquid). Divide the dough evenly between the prepared pans and knock them down on the counter to remove any bubbles.

4. Bake the cake for about 30 minutes, until the test stick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. Cool the cake in the pan for 20 minutes, then place the cake on a cooling rack to cool completely to room temperature. Cakes can be baked a day in advance, wrapped, and stored at room temperature before frosting.