Chocolate Soufflé Cake

This chocolate soufflé cake is meant to turn out rustic with a cracked, uneven top. Inside each bite is a silky smooth rich mousse.

My friends know that going out to a restaurant with me requires patience because they won’t be able to start eating their entrees until I snap a bunch of photos.

I even go to the lengths of arranging drinks and scooting silverware around in hopes of getting the perfect shot.

Fortunately everyone understands, or maybe they are just being polite.

I can get to the point of being obsessive with how food is styled.

That’s why I love things meant to look better rough and rustic.

After I baked this chocolate soufflé cake, I was disappointed it didn’t have a more dramatic fallen look. I

settled for a few cracks and doused it in confectioner’s sugar. The cake was rich, but very light like mousse.

Chocolate Soufflé Cake

• Author: Paige Adams
• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 22-25 minutes
• Total Time: 32-35 minutes
• Yield: 1 cake 1x

Print Recipe

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Description

This chocolate soufflé cake is meant to turn out rustic with a cracked, uneven top. Inside each bite is a silky smooth rich mousse.

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Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

• 12 ounces bittersweet chocolate, roughly chopped
• 1–1/2 sticks (6 ounces) unsalted butter, cubed, plus more for greasing pan
• 1–1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 5 large eggs at room temperature for 30 minutes, separated
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• Confectioners’ sugar for serving
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Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a 9-inch springform pan and line the bottom with parchment and then butter the parchment.
2. In a medium saucepan, bring 1 inch of water to a low simmer. Place the chocolate and butter in a large heatproof bowl over the saucepan without the water touching the bottom of the bowl. Stir frequently until the mixture is fully melted and then remove from the heat. Stir in the vanilla extract, 1//2 teaspoon salt and 6 tablespoons sugar. Stir in the yolks one at a time, mixing after each addition. Fold in the flour.
3. Using an electric mixer, beat the egg whites with the remaining salt until soft peaks form. Continue beating and gradually add the remaining sugar, and mix until the whites hold stiff peaks.
4. Fold the egg whites into the chocolate mixture and spread the batter into the prepared pan. Bake the cake until it is just set, about 22-25 minutes.
5. Cool the cake in the pan for 10 minutes before removing the sides. The cake will fall as it continues to cool. Generously dust with confectioners’ sugar before serving.
6. The cake is very delicate, so it is best to slice and serve it off the pan.

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Notes

Adapted from Gourmet February 2004