Several weeks ago Melissa Clark did a story in the NY Times about snacking cakes. The kind of thing you make when you need a little pick-me-up/a small sugar rush/a little indulgence to go with your afternoon tea. I loved the article and the premise of the snacking cake. It just seems like the kind of recipe everyone should have it their repertoire. Something you can whip up when your friends are having a bad day or you want to celebrate a little victory or perhaps just because (which is the ideal reason).
I’ve made 2 of the 3 recipes and while the banana cake is a delight (who can say no to a caramel glaze?) it was the chocolate snacking cake with orange glaze that really won me over. The chocolate cake is deeply chocolaty, spongy, and moist. The glaze is sweet with the perfect amount of citrus punch and if offsets the bitterness of the cake incredibly well. It’s a one bowl and maybe 15 minutes of active cook time. This makes it dangerously easy to bake it pretty much any day of the week.
Chocolate Snacking Cake With Orange Glaze
Recipe from the NYTimes
For the Cake
⅓ cup/80 milliliters neutral oil, such as grapeseed or canola, plus more for pan
¾ cup/95 grams all-purpose flour
½ cup/50 grams Dutch-processed cocoa powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
2 ounces/60 grams chopped dark chocolate (about 1/3 cup)
½ cup/120 milliliters hot coffee
¾ cup/155 grams light brown sugar
⅓ cup/80 milliliters sour cream
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the Glaze
½ tablespoon finely grated tangerine or orange zest
1 tablespoon tangerine or orange juice
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1 cup/115 grams confectioners’ sugar
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9-by-9-inch pan and line with parchment paper, letting the two long edges hang over the sides by at least 2 inches.
In a large bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt.
In a heatproof bowl, melt chocolate in the microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring in between. Or you can melt the chocolate in a double boiler over simmering water on the stove, stirring well. Whisk in hot coffee.
Whisk together flour mixture, coffee-chocolate mixture, brown sugar, sour cream, oil, eggs and vanilla. Scrape into baking pan and smooth the top. Bake until the top is springy and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 35 minutes. Let cool completely before glazing.
When cake is cool, make the glaze: Whisk together tangerine zest, tangerine juice and lemon juice, then whisk in confectioners’ sugar. Taste, and if it’s too sweet, add another drop or two of lemon juice. Pour glaze onto cooled cake, and spread to the edges. Let glaze set for at least 30 minutes before serving.