AMANDA HESSER'S CHOCOLATE DUMP-IT CAKE

PG tested

• 2 cups sugar
  
• 4 ounces unsweetened chocolate
  
• 1/4 pound unsalted butter (1 stick), plus more for greasing the pan
  
• 2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting the pan
  
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
  
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
  
• 1 teaspoon semi-coarse sea salt or kosher salt
  
• 1 cup milk
  
• 1 teaspoon cider vinegar
  
• 2 eggs
  
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  
• 1 1/2 cups Nestle semi-sweet chocolate chips
  
• 1 1/2 cups sour cream, at room temperature

Preheat oven to 375 degrees and place a baking sheet on lowest rack, to catch any drips when cake bakes. Put sugar, unsweetened chocolate, butter and 1 cup of water in a saucepan. Place over medium heat and stir occasionally until all ingredients are melted and blended. Remove from heat and let cool slightly, 15 to 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, sift together flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. In a small bowl, stir together the milk and vinegar. Grease and flour a 9-inch tube pan. (If you prefer, you can grease it, line it with parchment and then grease and flour it. This is not necessary, but parchment does make getting the cake out easier.)

When chocolate in pan has cooled a bit, whisk in milk mixture and eggs. In several additions and without overmixing, whisk in dry ingredients. When mixture is smooth, add vanilla and whisk once or twice, to blend.

"Dump" batter into tube pan and bake on middle rack until a skewer inserted in center comes out clean, about 30 minutes. Let cake cool for 10 minutes, then remove from pan and cool on a rack. (This can be tricky, so if someone is around, enlist help. Place a ring of wax paper on top of cake so you have something to grab onto when turning it out.) Let cool completely.

Meanwhile, melt chocolate chips in a double boiler, then let cool to room temperature. It is very important that the chocolate and sour cream be the same temperature, otherwise the icing will be lumpy or grainy. (Test it by stirring a little of the sour cream and chocolate together in a bowl; if it mixes smoothly, it's ready.) Stir in sour cream, 1/4 cup at a time, until the mixture is smooth. Taste some! It's good.

When cake is cool, you may frost it as is or cut it in half so that you have two layers (when I do this, I use 2 cups chocolate chips and 2 cups sour cream). My mother uses any leftover icing to make flowers on top. She dabs small rosettes, or buttons, on top, then uses toasted almond slices as the petals, pushing them in around the base of the rosette. (My mother kept it in the fridge, and it is sublime even when cold.)

Serves 10.

NIGELLA LAWSON'S ALL-IN-ONE CHOCOLATE CAKE

PG tested

For the cake:

• Butter for greasing baking pans
  
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  
• 1 cup sugar
  
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
  
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  
• 1/3 cup best-quality cocoa powder
  
• 6 ounces (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
  
• 2 large eggs, at room temperature
  
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
  
• 3/8 cup sour cream, at room temperature

For the frosting:

• 6 ounces good-quality semisweet chocolate, broken into small pieces
  
• 3 ounces (3/8 stick) unsalted butter
  
• 1 tablespoon light corn syrup
  
• 1/2 cup sour cream
  
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
  
• 2 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted

For cake: heat oven to 350 degrees. Butter sides of two 8-inch cake pans and line bottoms with parchment paper. In the bowl of a food processor fitted with a knife blade, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cocoa powder, butter, eggs, vanilla and sour cream. Process to make a smooth, thick batter.

Using a rubber spatula, divide batter between pans and smooth tops. Bake until a cake tester inserted in center comes out clean, 25 to 35 minutes; do not overbake. Transfer to a wire rack to cool for 10 minutes before removing from cake pans.

For frosting: Combine chocolate and butter in a large heat-proof bowl and heat until melted in a microwave oven or over a pan of simmering water. Remove from heat and allow to cool for 5 minutes. Stir in corn syrup, sour cream and vanilla. Whisk in confectioners' sugar until very smooth. Frosting should be thick and spreadable. If necessary, add a teaspoon or two of boiling water to thin it, or additional sifted confectioners' sugar to thicken.

Cut four strips of waxed or parchment paper and place them side by side on a cake plate, covering the surface. Place one cake layer domed-side down on plate.

Spoon about a third of the frosting onto center of cake and use a knife or a spatula to spread it evenly. Place the other cake on top, domed side up. Spoon another third of frosting on top of cake, spreading to make swirls or a smooth finish. Spread sides of cake with remaining frosting and allow to sit for a few minutes until set. Carefully remove paper strips. Place cake under glass or in an airtight container, and set aside in a cool place until serving.

Serves 10 to 12.

WHOLE FOODS MARKET'S ONE-BOWL FLOURLESS CHOCOLATE CAKE WITH DARK CHOCOLATE GLAZE

PG tested

For cake:

• 8 ounces organic bittersweet chocolate, broken into pieces
  
• 2 sticks organic butter, cut into 4 pieces each
  
• 1 1/4 cups unbleached natural cane sugar
  
• 6 organic eggs, lightly beaten
  
• 1 cup organic unsweetened cocoa powder

For glaze:

• 4 ounces organic bittersweet chocolate, broken into pieces
  
• 3 tablespoons organic butter
  
• 1 tablespoon milk
  
• 1 tablespoon honey
  
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla

To make cake: Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray a 9-inch springform pan or round cake pan. Line bottom with a circle of wax or parchment paper and spray the paper.

Place chocolate and butter in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Stirring often, melt the chocolate with the butter until completely blended. Remove from heat and pour mixture into a large mixing bowl. (Alternately, you may use your microwave to melt the butter with the chocolate, if desired.) Add sugar and mix well. Add eggs, a little at a time, and mix well. Sift cocoa onto mix and stir until just blended.

Pour batter into prepared pan and bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until the cake has risen and the top has formed a thin crust. It may crack just a bit. The cake should be just firm in the center when done. Cool cake for 10 minutes, then invert onto a plate, removing sides if using a springform pan. Remove wax paper and allow the cake to continue to cool.

To make glaze: While cake is baking, prepare glaze. In a small saucepan over medium-low heat, melt broken chocolate with butter, stirring frequently until smooth. Remove from heat. Stir in milk, honey and vanilla. Set aside to cool slightly. When cake has cooled, pour glaze onto the center. Using a spatula or the back of a spoon, very gently smooth the glaze along the top and sides of the cake. Chill for 30 minutes to an hour before serving. This sets the glaze and makes the cake easier to slice.

Serves 10 to 12.