“Bob’s Last Meal” Chocolate Cake
- 30m Prep Time
- 45m Cook Time
- 2h Ready In
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A rich, spiced chocolate cake with layers of bittersweet chocolate and warm spices like cinnamon, cayenne, and cardamom. Named after a friend who declared it his last meal.
Ingredients
- 355 ml unsalted butter at room temperature
- butter for greasing
- 828 ml all-purpose flour
- 19.7 ml ground cinnamon
- 9.86 ml kosher salt
- 9.86 ml baking soda
- 9.86 ml cayenne
- 9.86 ml ground cardamom
- 7.39 ml ancho chili powder
- 340 g bittersweet chocolate
- 355 ml Dutch-process cocoa powder
- 14.8 ml instant espresso powder
- 355 ml boiling water
- 473 ml sour cream at room temperature
- 29.6 ml vanilla extract
- 946 ml packed dark brown sugar
- 10 large eggs at room temperature
- 1 Bittersweet Chocolate Frosting
Nutrition (per serving, estimated)
Estimated based off 13 of 18 identified ingredients (per 100 g food data, scaled by amount).
Vitamins & minerals
- Calcium: 83.1 mg
- Iron: 3.61 mg
- Magnesium: 63.4 mg
- Phosphorus: 196 mg
- Potassium: 389 mg
- Zinc: 1.48 mg
Let's Prepare
Collect
Gather these ingredients - no prep needed yet.
- 828 ml all-purpose flour
- 19.7 ml ground cinnamon
- 9.86 ml kosher salt
- 9.86 ml baking soda
- 9.86 ml cayenne
- 9.86 ml ground cardamom
- 7.39 ml ancho chili powder
- 340 g bittersweet chocolate
- 355 ml Dutch-process cocoa powder
- 14.8 ml instant espresso powder
- 355 ml boiling water
- 29.6 ml vanilla extract
- 946 ml packed dark brown sugar
- 1 Bittersweet Chocolate Frosting
Prepare
- 355 ml unsalted butter, at room temperature
- butter, for greasing
- 473 ml sour cream, at room temperature
- 10 large eggs, at room temperature
Let's Cook
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Step 1.
Butter three 9-inch cake pans thoroughly, coating the sides, and line the bottoms with parchment paper. Butter the parchment and set the pans aside. Line three baking sheets with parchment paper and set them aside. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
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Step 2.
In a large bowl, sift together 3½ cups all-purpose flour, 4 teaspoons ground cinnamon, 2 teaspoons kosher salt, 2 teaspoons baking soda, 2 teaspoons cayenne, 2 teaspoons ground cardamom, and 1½ teaspoons ancho chili powder. Set aside.
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Step 3.
In a medium bowl, combine 12 ounces bittersweet chocolate (chopped), 1½ cups Dutch-process cocoa powder, and 1 tablespoon instant espresso powder. Pour 1½ cups boiling water over the mixture and stir until smooth. Then stir in 2 cups sour cream (at room temperature) and 2 tablespoons vanilla extract until fully incorporated.
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Step 4.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream 1½ cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter (at room temperature) and 4 cups packed dark brown sugar on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3–5 minutes. Add 10 large eggs (at room temperature) one at a time, scraping down the bowl after every two eggs.
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Step 5.
Reduce the mixer speed to low. Add the flour mixture and the chocolate mixture in three alternating batches, beginning and ending with the flour. Mix just until combined after each addition. Scrape down the sides of the bowl once more, then pour the batter evenly into the three prepared cake pans.
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Step 6.
Bake the cakes at 350°F until the center springs back when touched lightly and the edges pull away from the pan (small cracks will form on the surface), about 45 minutes. Rotate the pans front to back and top to bottom halfway through baking. Let the cakes cool in the pans for about 15 minutes, until the pans are comfortable to touch, then flip the cakes out onto the lined baking sheets to cool completely before frosting.
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Step 7.
Once the cakes are completely cool, frost between the layers, around the sides, and on top with the Bittersweet Chocolate Frosting.
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