Recipe: Chocolate Dump-It Cake

Serves 10.

Note: From "Cooking for Mr. Latte" by Amanda Hesser (W.W. Norton). Substitute buttermilk for milk and cider vinegar. Cake doesn't need to be refrigerated, but it should be served within 24 hours if stored at room temperature. If refrigerated, serve chilled ("My mother kept it in the fridge, and it is sublime even when cold," wrote Hesser) or let sit at room temperature for an hour before serving. For bakers who prefer a lot of icing, use 2 cups chocolate chips and 2 cups sour cream.

For cake:

• 2 c. sugar

• 4 oz. unsweetened chocolate, chopped into pieces

• 1/2 c. (1 stick) unsalted butter, plus more for pan

• 2 c. flour, plus more for pan

• 1 tsp. baking powder

• 1 tsp. sea salt

• 1 c. milk

• 1 tsp. cider vinegar

• 2 eggs

For icing:

• 1 1/2 c. semisweet chocolate chips

• 1 1/2 c. sour cream, at room temperature

Directions

To prepare cake: Preheat oven to 375 degrees and place a baking sheet on the lowest rack to catch any drips when cake bakes. Grease and flour a 9-inch tube pan.

In a large saucepan over medium heat, combine sugar, unsweetened chocolate, butter and 1 cup water. Stir occasionally until all ingredients are melted and blended. Remove from heat and cool slightly, about 15 to 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, sift together flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt.

In a small bowl, stir together milk and vinegar.

When chocolate mixture has cooled a bit, whisk in milk and eggs until thoroughly combined. In several additions (and without overmixing), whisk in the flour mixture. When batter is smooth, add vanilla extract and whisk once or twice, to blend.

Dump batter into prepared tube pan and bake on the middle rack until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean, about 30 to 35 minutes.

To prepare icing: In a double boiler over gently simmering water, melt chocolate chips. Remove from heat and let melted chocolate cool to room temperature.

It is very important that the melted chocolate and the sour cream be the same temperature, otherwise the icing will be lumpy and grainy (test it by stirring a little of the sour cream and chocolate together in a small bowl; if it mixes smoothly, it's ready).