by merrill
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my 134 recipes »
Photo by Sarah Shatz
merrill's Notes:
1 1/4 cup all purpose flour Ask a question about this ingredient
3/4 teaspoons baking soda Ask a question about this ingredient
3/4 teaspoons kosher salt Ask a question about this ingredient
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar Ask a question about this ingredient
1/2 cup strong coffee (or use instant espresso) Ask a question about this ingredient
1/2 cup unsalted butter Ask a question about this ingredient
8 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped Ask a question about this ingredient
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract Ask a question about this ingredient
Heat the oven to 350°F, first positioning a rack in the center of the oven. Sift together the flour, baking soda and salt and set aside.
Ask a question about this stepCombine the brown sugar, coffee, butter and chocolate in a medium heavy saucepan over low heat. Cook, stirring occasionally until the butter and chocolate are almost completely melted. Remove from the heat and whisk until smooth. Whisk in the vanilla and set aside to cool.
Ask a question about this stepWhen the chocolate mixture is about at room temperature, add the eggs and using a wooden spoon, stir well to combine. Add the dry ingredients and the milk in stages, alternating between the two and stirring well between each addition. (The batter should be fairly smooth, but it’s okay if you end up with some small lumps.)
Ask a question about this stepPour the batter into a greased pan measuring roughly 8 1/2” x 11” and bake for 25-30 minutes, until the center of the cake springs back when you press it lightly with your finger and a cake tester inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean. Cool completely on a rack.
Ask a question about this step2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened Ask a question about this ingredient
2 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted Ask a question about this ingredient
1 1/2 tablespoon orange zest Ask a question about this ingredient
1/2 teaspoon orange extract Ask a question about this ingredient
2 teaspoons Cointreau or other orange flavored liqueur Ask a question about this ingredient
1 tablespoon mascarpone Ask a question about this ingredient
1 - 2 tablespoon milk Ask a question about this ingredient
Using a wooden spoon, combine the butter and confectioners’ sugar in a medium bowl. Stir in in the zest, orange extract, Cointreau and mascarpone, and then switch to a whisk to attack any lumps. Gradually whisk in the milk, adding just enough to make the icing spreadable.
Ask a question about this stepSpread a thin layer of icing over the top of the cake and refrigerate briefly so that the icing firms up a little. Cut the cake into squares to serve.
Ask a question about this stepWe made this and it was really good! I iced the cake a day after making it and my son put sprinkles on top. We used lemon extract with orange zest and next time will try the orange!
Just made this tonight. I put it in a 9" round cake pan. 35 minutes was just right.
Buona sera Merrill. I have prepared this little beauty and I wanted to share my insights. I do not have an 8 1/2" by 11" pan so I substituted a 9" round. Perfetto! The baking time increased by about 20 minutes and the result was lovely. I prepared 1/2 of the recipe for the icing and it was just right for covering the cake and allowing it to run off the edge. I did not have mascarpone, substituted creme fraiche. It looks just like your photo. Fantastico! This is a complex chocolate cake, deep and dark, not too sweet, lovely crumb and the icing is the perfect foil to the depth of flavors in the cake. My daughter just told me that she will be requesting this gem for her next birthday. Of course we will double everything and make a proper layer cake for such an occasion! Grazie, mille grazie Lorenza
This is perfect for baking on vacation--the house we rent has no real baking supplies--I love that you can mix it all up with a spoon.
Lovely cake. Had company in town and wanted a dessert I could pull together on the fly. The cake was super moist and the icing was delicious. I am a frosting freak so I doubled it. Delicious!