Perfect Chocolate Cake

Is this really the "Perfect" chocolate cake?  Nick Malgieri named this cake "Perfect Chocolate Cake", where else can you find this recipe, except of course from his book "Perfect Cakes".  Yup, it is my latest addition in my ever increasing number of recipe books. One can never have enough of cookbooks, don't you agree??

This is the first recipe that I tried. Bought the book the day before and couldn't wait to try them out! Bake this chocolate cake the very next day. I have not baked a chocolate cake for ages and my kids are very happy with this! My daughter even told me to reserve a few slices for her to bring to school the next morning.

This cake is moist and soft with  delightful tender crumbs.  I would make this again, since my kids love this, and it is really good actually. But is this "the perfect chocolate cake"?,  Have you tried this recipe before? What do you think?  For me, the "THE perfect chocolate cake" is still out there, waiting to be discovered by the very patient and wonderful Brittany of les revesd'une boulangere , who is on the quest of searching the best chocolate cake.  This is one delicious search! 

Perfect Chocolate Cake

(adapted from "Perfect Cakes" by Nick Malgieri)

1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour (spoon flour into dry-measure cup and level off)

1/2 cup alkalized (Dutch-process) cocoa powder

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened

1-1/3 cups sugar (I use 1 cup only)

2 large eggs, at room temperature

One 8-ounce container sour cream

Confectioners' sugar for finishing

1 tsp vanilla essence (my add-on)

One 9 x 13 x 2 inch baking pan, buttered and bottom lined with parchment or buttered parchment

(I bake mine in a 9" round pan, as I think the batter is too little for the original 9x13x2 inch pan!)

Method :

1. Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees.
2. In a bowl, stir together the flour, cocoa, baking powder and baking soda.  Sift the ingredients onto a piece of parchment or wax paper and set aside.
3. In a large bowl with an electric mixer, beat the butter and sugar together at medium speed.  Beat in the eggs one at a time, beating until smooth after each addition.  Reduce the mixer speed to low and beat in half the dry ingredients.  Scrape down the bowl and beater well.  Beat in the sour cream, scrape again, and then beat in the remainder of the dry ingredients.
4. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan.  Bake for 40 to 45 minutes,or until well risen and a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake emerges clean.
5. Cool the cake in the pan on a rack for 5 minutes, then invert onto a rack and remove the paper.  Invert the cake onto a rack again to finish cooling right side up.
6. Just before serving, sift a light dusting of confectioners' sugar over the cake.

Serving : Cut the cake into 3-inch squares.

Storage : Store covered at cool room temperature

Makes one 9x13 inch cake, about 12 servings

I have submitted my entry to "Culinary Smackdown Battle Chile October 2010" at At Home With Rebecka. Have you submit yours yet? Closing date is 29/10/2010. The winner will receive a beautiful hand-painted teapot and cup set and a tin of lovely Apple Spice Tea! .  Head down to Rebecka's and submit your entry!