Recipe: Mocha Java Cake (tube cake)

MOCHA JAVA CAKE

1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, plus more for preparing tube pan
3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for preparing pan
3 bars (4 ounces each) bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
2 1/4 cups sugar
3 large eggs
2 cups espresso or very strong coffee, cooled
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon almond extract

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Butter a (10-inch) tube pan and then dust the pan with flour, tapping out the excess.

Bring 1 inch water to a simmer in the bottom of a double boiler or saucepan. Place the chocolate and 1 1/2 cups butter in the top of the double boiler or in a heatproof bowl placed over the pan. Heat, stirring frequently, until melted and smooth. Transfer to a large bowl. Set aside to cool for 5 minutes.

In a bowl, stir together the 3 cups flour, baking soda, and salt; set aside.

Gradually beat the sugar into the melted chocolate-butter mixture until well combined. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Continue beating while slowly adding the espresso and the vanilla and almond extracts. Add the dry ingredients and mix just until all the flour disappears.

Pour and scrape the batter into the prepared pan; it will come almost to the top. Smooth the top, making sure the batter is evenly distributed in the pan.

Bake the cake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 60 to 65 minutes. Remove from the oven and let the cake rest in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes before inverting onto a cake plate. Let cool to room temperature before serving.

Makes 1 (10-inch) tube cake, 10 servings
Source: Nordstrom Friends and Family Cookbook by Executive Chef Michael Northern