today i made my favorite cake of them all! from the king arthur flour website, with a few changes.
cake
1 cup chocolate chips
1/2 cup butter
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 to 2 teaspoons espresso powder (or just grind coffee on the espresso setting)
3 large eggs
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
glaze
1 cup chocolate chips
1/2 cup heavy cream
topping
1/4 cup sliced almonds, toasted in a 350°F oven for 10 minutes.
to make the cake: preheat the oven to 375°F. lightly grease an 8" round cake pan; cut a piece of parchment to fit, grease it, and lay it in the bottom of the pan. put the chocolate and butter in a microwave-safe bowl, and heat till the butter is melted and the chips are soft. 1 minute on high, stir, 30 seconds on high, stir, 30 seconds on high, stir. transfer the melted chocolate & butter to a mixing bowl. add the sugar, salt, and espresso powder. add the eggs, beating briefly until smooth. add the cocoa powder, and mix just to combine. spoon the batter into the prepared pan. bake the cake for 25 minutes; the top will have formed a thin crust. remove it from the oven, and cool it in the pan for 5 minutes. loosen the edges of the pan with a table knife, and turn it out onto a serving plate. the top will now be on the bottom, and the edges will crumble a bit. allow the cake to cool completely before glazing.
to prepare the glaze: combine the chocolate and cream in a microwave-safe bowl, and heat till the cream is very hot. (use the same method as above.) stir until the chocolate melts and the mixture is completely smooth. it will take a while; don't give up! spoon the glaze over the cake, spreading it to drip over the sides a bit. allow the glaze to set for several hours before serving the cake.
