Aztec Crème Fraîche Pound Cake

(Tina Rupp)

Chocolate on chocolate with more chocolate, plus a hint of spice—nothing wrong with that, not at all! But add crème fraîche, a creamy and ever so slightly tangy soft French version of sour cream, and you add just the right amount of zip to the zing of this deliriously fudgy pound cake. It’s covered in a chocolate glaze that gives it a sheen and a dramatic quality worthy of the Aztecs for whom it’s named.

Cook Time:1 hours20 min

Prep Time:1 hours

Total Time:2 hours20 min

Servings: 8

Ingredients:

4 ounce (115 g) bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped

1/2 cup (120 ml) coffee, very hot

3/4 cup (170 g) unsalted butter

1 1/4 cup (250 g) granulated sugar

3 eggs

1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste

1 teaspoon lime oil

1 1/4 cup (155 g) all-purpose flour

1/2 cup (40 g) Dutch-process cocoa powder, sifted

1 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

3/4 cup (180 ml) crème fraîche

8 ounce (225 g) bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped

1/2 teaspoon lime oil

1/4 cup (60 ml) heavy cream

2 tablespoon unsalted butter

1 tablespoon corn syrup

1/2 cup (40 g) Dutch-process cocoa powder (I use Cacao Barry Extra Brute)

Preparation:

Preheat the oven to 350ºF (175°C). Liberally spray a large nonstick Bundt pan with nonstick baking spray.

In a small bowl, combine the chocolate and coffee. Allow to sit undisturbed for a few minutes to allow the chocolate to melt, then stir to combine. Set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and granulated sugar together until light and fluffy.

Add the eggs, one at a time, beating between additions until each egg is completely incorporated. Add the vanilla bean paste and lime oil.

In a bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, salt, baking powder, cinnamon, and cayenne.

Add the crème fraîche to the chocolate mixture and stir to combine.

Add one-third of the flour mixture to the butter-sugar mixture and mix on low speed, then add half of the crème fraîche–chocolate mixture and stir to combine.

Continue alternating additions until all the ingredients are incorporated and well combined. Spoon the batter into the prepared mold and level the batter with the back of a spoon

Bake for 1 hour and 20 minutes, or until a wooden skewer inserted in the center comes out clean.

Allow the cake to cool for about 20 minutes. Unmold onto a cooling rack set over a parchment-lined sheet pan.

In a small saucepan, combine the cream, lime oil, granulated sugar, and orange extract.

Bring to a simmer over medium heat.

In a bowl, pour the hot cream mixture over the chocolate, making sure it is completely covered. Allow to sit undisturbed for 2 minutes, then stir to melt the chocolate and combine the ingredients.

Pour the glaze through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean bowl and allow to thicken, about 5 minutes. Use immediately.

With a large soup ladle, pour the glaze slowly over the cake, making sure to move the ladle back and forth so that every exposed inch of the cake is covered in glaze. Allow to set at room temperature, about 20 minutes.

Sift the cocoa powder evenly over the cake to coat.