Sunken Chocolate Cake with Nutmeg

Nutmeg has been my spice of choice this last year. (If you are not a nutmeg fan, no worries! This cake still tastes delicious without it, just omit it.) This spice has been showing up in a lot of my recipe testing, and I can’t seem to get enough of the warm, nutty flavor. I’ve always loved it in Blueberry Muffins, but recently have been adding it to my soft and chewy Oatmeal Cookies instead of cinnamon. It also pairs well with chocolate, as evidence in this cake, and a fresh grating on top right before serving really elevates the spice in the cake and it gives it warm, holiday vibes. I love this nutmeg from Diaspora.

This intense chocolate cake is a riff on the Chocolate Bread from my first cookbook, but now is baked in a springform pan, which makes it slightly more elegant in appearance, and perfect for serving at any holiday event you may find yourself attending. I find the flavor of the chocolate is deeper and darker a day or two after the cake has been made, and I make it ahead of time if I am bringing it somewhere, but a slice of this warm is quite a treat.

Many chocolate cake recipes include hot coffee or water, and for good reason. As the coffee is gently stirred in, the batter turns into an unpromising dark sludge, but bakes up into a moist, delicious loaf cake. Different coffee roasts can add a slightly different flavor to the cake, and over the years I’ve found I love Peace Coffee’s Tree Hugger blend. However, your favorite roast will work well.

How I ensure a perfectly mixed batter every time

The key to a well-mixed batter is actually simple: scrape down your bowl frequently, and give your batter a few turns at the end of mixing. If I am making something delicate, like a cake, I will use a plastic spatula to mix the batter a few more times, making sure the bottom of the bowl doesn’t have any unmixed ingredients.

Sunken Chocolate Cake with Nutmeg

Servings: 8 servings

Prep Time: 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 45 minutes minutes

This intense chocolate cake is dense and moist, with rich flavor. As it cools, it deflates and sinks in the middle, giving it a beautiful crackled texture and the most perfect crumb.

Sarah Kieffer

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Ingredients

• 6 oz [170 g] semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, chopped into bite-sized pieces
• 1 cup [240 g] strong, freshly brewed coffee, hot
• 1 cup [2 sticks or 227 g] unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 1/2 cups [300 g] dark brown sugar
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg, plus more for dusting (you can omit if you prefer)
• 2 large eggs, at room temperature
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 1/2 cups [213 g] all-purpose flour
• cocoa powder, for dusting

Equipment

• 8 inch springform pan

Instructions

• Position an oven rack in the middle of the oven and preheat the oven to 375F [190C]. Grease an 8 in [20 cm] springform baking pan and line the bottom with a parchment sling, see notes.
• Place the chopped chocolate in a medium bowl. Pour the hot coffee over the chocolate and let sit for 5 minutes. Stir to combine.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle, beat the butter on medium speed until smooth. Add the dark brown sugar, salt, and nutmeg and mix on medium speed until light and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the eggs and vanilla and beat on medium speed until fully incorporated, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl as necessary.
• Add the baking soda and mix again until combined. Add the flour and mix on low speed until incorporated. With the mixer still on low, slowly add the warm coffee-chocolate mixture and mix until combined. Use a spatula to finish mixing the batter, making sure it is completely combined.
• Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 25 minutes. Lower the oven temperature to 325F [170C] and bake for an additional 15 to 20 more minutes. The loaf will still be moist inside, so a wooden skewer or toothpick inserted into the center won't come out clean. The cake should look moist under the top crust in the cracks that form, and should jiggle just slightly when gently shaken.
• Transfer the pan to a wire rack and run a knife around the edge of the pan. Let cool for 5 minutes, then unlock the springform pan and remove the side piece. Let the cake cool completely; it will sink in the middle as it cools. When ready to serve, carefully remove the parchment sling from the bottom of the cake. Dust the cake with cocoa powder and grate a little nutmeg over the top of the cake. Slice and serve. The cake can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.

Notes

*This cake needs a cake pan with a slightly higher side than a normal pan, as it bakes up tall and can spill over the sides without it. 

*To line the springform pan: place a piece of parchment paper larger than the base of the pan over the bottom, then place the sides of the pan on top and lock the pan shut to hold the paper in place. Crinkle the paper on the outside of the pan and draw it up around the outsides of the pan. 

*I have made this cake many, many times and haven’t had a problem with my springform leaking. However, if your pan is known to leak,  you may want to wrap the outside of your pan as well. 

*Throughout my recipes posted on this website, 1 cup of flour equals 142g. Please note that 1 cup of flour can range anywhere from 120g to 142g, depending on the baker or website. I found that after weighting many cups of flour and averaging the total, mine always ended up around this number. If I am posting a recipe from another cookbook, I will use whatever gram measure of flour used in that book, which is why you may see a few posts with a different cup measurement.

Different brands of flour have varying levels of protein, ranging from low to high, which can result in very different outcomes when baking. I’ve found Gold Medal all-purpose unbleached flour to be the best option for many of my recipes; I use it in all the baked goods that don’t use yeast.