Chocolate Sourdough Cake

Oh we do like our cake here on Orcas Island, especially chocolate cake.  Here is an easy sourdough chocolate cake that is really good with some vanilla ice cream or a couple of spoons of plain ol' yogurt.

Chocolate Sourdough Cake

Preheat the oven to 350F.

Prepare a 10 inch tube pan by greasing the bottom with butter and placing a circle of waxed paper on the bottom to fit the shape of the pan (make a hole in the center of the waxed paper to fit around the tube pan ‘neck’.  Grease the waxed paper as well.  For a

“prettier” cake, you can use a bundt pan, grease the inside and “neck” with butter and then dust flour in it (or cocoa powder if you wish) to cover the butter.

Sift and mix together in a medium size bowl -  200 grams all purpose flour

                        6 grams baking powder

                        6 grams baking soda

                        5 grams salt

optional – 1 tsp. Cinnamon

            ¼ tsp. Ground cloves

            1/8 tsp. Cayenne

(these give the cake a Mexican chocolate taste)

and set aside.

Melt 170 grams of semi-sweet or bittersweet chocolate chips in the microwave 2 minutes or so, stir to a smooth consistency.

Melt 113(1 stick) grams of butter in the microwave .

In a large mixing bowl, place 180 grams of 166% hydration starter from a starter that has been fed the night before.

(To make about 180 grams of starter at the proper hydration use 60 grams whole wheat or all-purpose flour, 90 grams water, and 30 grams starter, let set over night at room temperature).

To the starter, add the melted butter and mix well.  Add the melted chocolate and mix well.  Add 3 eggs, beat well.  Then add 200 grams sugar and 2 tsp. Vanilla.  Beat for 100 strokes until smooth and creamy.  Incorporate the dry ingredients into the batter. 

Then add 120 grams of boiling water, slowly mix and then whip to a creamy consistency. 

Place the batter in the prepared tube pan. 

Bake at 350F for 40 to 50 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the cake comes out clean.

Remove the cake from the oven and allow it to cool for 10 minutes in the pan on a wire rack.  Take the cake out of the pan, peel off the waxed paper on the bottom and continue to cool the cake until it is completely cool.

You can make a cake glaze with 4 oz. Chocolate chips, ¼ cup of butter and 1 teaspoon light corn syrup melted in a small bowl in the microwave.  Allow the glaze to cool to room temperature.  Drizzle over the cake, or alternatively split the cake into two rounds and place the glaze in the middle of the cake.  Serve with ice cream, whipped cream or good quality yogurt.  Enjoy!