Makes one 8-inch square
If you only master a single cake, this might be the one. The texture is buttery and firm, something like a pound cake, studded with mini chocolate chips. It's beaten in an electric mixer and baked in an 8-inch square pan lined with parchment paper (for easy lifting later). Notice that to begin making the batter, you beat room-temperature butter for three to four minutes, which builds the cake's velvety texture. Then you beat the butter more as you add sugar in two additions. The cake also calls for an extra yolk, for richness, and sour cream, which is added to the batter alternately with flour. Fold in semisweet chips send the pan into the oven. After it bakes and cools, lift out the square, cut the cake in half one way, then cut thick perpendicular slices. Arrange them on a cake platter if you're only traveling out the kitchen door to the backyard, or in a cake tin to carry to a picnic spot. This is a cake to bring to your summer beach hosts, the neighborhood block party, or family reunion.
Canola or vegetable oil (for the pan)
2¼
cups flour
1
teaspoon baking powder
½
teaspoon baking soda
¼
teaspoon salt
1
cup mini semisweet chocolate chips
10
tablespoons (1 stick plus 2 tablespoons) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1
cup granulated sugar
2
eggs plus 1 extra yolk
2
teaspoons vanilla extract
¾
cup sour cream
Confectioners' sugar (for sprinkling)
1. Set the oven at 350 degrees. Rub an 8-inch square baking pan very lightly with oil. Line it with a sheet of parchment paper that comes up the sides of the pan.
2. In a bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt to blend them. In another smaller bowl, toss the chocolate chips with 1 tablespoon of the flour mixture.
3. In an electric mixer on medium speed, beat the butter for 3 to 4 minutes, or until very creamy. Add the sugar in 2 additions, beating for 2 minutes after each addition. With a rubber spatula, scrape down the sides of the bowl often. Beat in the eggs, one a time, followed by the extra yolk and vanilla. The mixture may look curdled but that's OK.
4. With the mixer set on low speed, add the flour mixture alternately with the sour cream, beginning and ending with the flour.
5. Remove the bowl from the mixer stand. With a sturdy rubber spatula, lightly but thoroughly mix in the chocolate chips; blend in any flour in the bottom of the mixer bowl and the chips bowl.
6. Spoon the batter into the baking pan. Lightly smooth the top, using the rubber spatula or an offset metal palette knife. Tap the pan once hard on the counter to settle any air pockets.
7. Transfer to the oven. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, or until set and golden brown. A skewer inserted near the center of the cake will be clean when withdrawn and the cake will pull away slightly from the sides of the pan. Set the cake on a wire rack for 20 minutes.
8. Use the parchment paper to lift the cake from the pan. Transfer to the wire rack to cool completely. Make 1 cut across the cake. Make 7 perpendicular cuts to form 1-inch slices (yield is 16). Sprinkle them with confectioners' sugar.
Lisa Yockelson
Makes one 8-inch square
If you only master a single cake, this might be the one. The texture is buttery and firm, something like a pound cake, studded with mini chocolate chips. It's beaten in an electric mixer and baked in an 8-inch square pan lined with parchment paper (for easy lifting later). Notice that to begin making the batter, you beat room-temperature butter for three to four minutes, which builds the cake's velvety texture. Then you beat the butter more as you add sugar in two additions. The cake also calls for an extra yolk, for richness, and sour cream, which is added to the batter alternately with flour. Fold in semisweet chips send the pan into the oven. After it bakes and cools, lift out the square, cut the cake in half one way, then cut thick perpendicular slices. Arrange them on a cake platter if you're only traveling out the kitchen door to the backyard, or in a cake tin to carry to a picnic spot. This is a cake to bring to your summer beach hosts, the neighborhood block party, or family reunion.
| Canola or vegetable oil (for the pan) | |
| 2¼ | cups flour |
| 1 | teaspoon baking powder |
| ½ | teaspoon baking soda |
| ¼ | teaspoon salt |
| 1 | cup mini semisweet chocolate chips |
| 10 | tablespoons (1 stick plus 2 tablespoons) unsalted butter, at room temperature |
| 1 | cup granulated sugar |
| 2 | eggs plus 1 extra yolk |
| 2 | teaspoons vanilla extract |
| ¾ | cup sour cream |
| Confectioners' sugar (for sprinkling) |
1. Set the oven at 350 degrees. Rub an 8-inch square baking pan very lightly with oil. Line it with a sheet of parchment paper that comes up the sides of the pan.
2. In a bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt to blend them. In another smaller bowl, toss the chocolate chips with 1 tablespoon of the flour mixture.
3. In an electric mixer on medium speed, beat the butter for 3 to 4 minutes, or until very creamy. Add the sugar in 2 additions, beating for 2 minutes after each addition. With a rubber spatula, scrape down the sides of the bowl often. Beat in the eggs, one a time, followed by the extra yolk and vanilla. The mixture may look curdled but that's OK.
4. With the mixer set on low speed, add the flour mixture alternately with the sour cream, beginning and ending with the flour.
5. Remove the bowl from the mixer stand. With a sturdy rubber spatula, lightly but thoroughly mix in the chocolate chips; blend in any flour in the bottom of the mixer bowl and the chips bowl.
6. Spoon the batter into the baking pan. Lightly smooth the top, using the rubber spatula or an offset metal palette knife. Tap the pan once hard on the counter to settle any air pockets.
7. Transfer to the oven. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, or until set and golden brown. A skewer inserted near the center of the cake will be clean when withdrawn and the cake will pull away slightly from the sides of the pan. Set the cake on a wire rack for 20 minutes.
8. Use the parchment paper to lift the cake from the pan. Transfer to the wire rack to cool completely. Make 1 cut across the cake. Make 7 perpendicular cuts to form 1-inch slices (yield is 16). Sprinkle them with confectioners' sugar.
