Makes 1 Bundt cake
I asked him to point to his town on a map. I looked at the snaking highway through the mountains. Where is that? I asked. Deep in a coalfield, he said.
INGREDIENTS
DRY
⅓ cups cake flour (here)
4½ teaspoons baking powder
¾ teaspoon salt
½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 tablespoons chopped sage
Zest of 1 orange
WET
5 ounces 60% cacao baking chocolate
1 cup unrefined sugar
½ cup brown sugar
⅔ cup unsalted butter, room temperature
3 eggs, room temperature
1 cup whole milk, room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla
½ cup sour cream
Ganache glaze (recipe here)
TOOLS YOU’LL NEED
Measuring cups and spoons
Microplane grater
Standard Bundt pan
(12 cups / 10 by 3½ inches)
Room-temperature butter and flour, for the pan
2 medium-size mixing bowls
Flour sifter
Chopping knife
Cutting board
Digital scale
Saucepan
Medium-size stainless-steel bowl
Whisk
Hand blender
Large wooden spoon
Thin-blade knife
Wire rack
Grease the Bundt pan with butter. Dust it with flour and shake out any loose flour left. Set it aside.
Center a rack in the oven and preheat it to 350 degrees.
In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, salt, and cocoa powder; stir in the sage and orange zest. Set the bowl aside.
Roughly chop the chocolate.
Fill the bottom of the saucepan with water. Set it atop the cooking range.
Place the stainless-steel bowl on the saucepan.
Bring the water in the pan to a rolling boil, heating the bowl.
Toss the chocolate into the hot bowl, reduce the heat, and whisk evenly until the chocolate melts.
Carefully remove the bowl from the saucepan and let the chocolate cool. In another medium bowl, sift together the sugars.
Add the butter to the sugar.
Cream together with a hand blender till the mixture is light and fluffy.
Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
Add the eggs to the creamed mix one at a time, fully blending after each addition.
Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
To the creamed mixture add the milk, vanilla, and sour cream.
Beat well.
Add the cooled, melted chocolate.
Beat well.
Pour the wet mix into the dry mix in thirds.
Fold gently until there is no visible flour and no lumps in the batter.
Pour the batter into the waiting pan.
Bake the cake in the center of the oven for 35 to 40 minutes or until a thin knife comes out clean.
Let it cool for 10 minutes.
Run a thin knife between the cake and the pan.
Flip it over onto a wire rack.
Cool completely.
Pour the ganache glaze over the cooled cake.