The other night, Casey and I had a discussion about chocolate cake. He seems to think that the best part of chocolate cake is the frosting. I disagree. I think the CAKE in chocolate cake is the best part. I’m actually one of those people who scrapes the frosting off chocolate cake and leaves it to the side of my plate. Does that make you think less of me? I hope not… It’s just too much chocolate for me to take! I always make sure to give Casey my extra frosting. This is love.

This cake is the perfect compromise for both of us. A cake that needs NO frosting because it’s moist, delicate, fluffy and oh so fudge-y. Frosting on top of this cake would be absolutely insane. I do believe that a light dusting of powdered sugar spruces it up and makes it cute!  Slightly sweetened whipped cream makes is decadent but somehow even lighter! Who would have thought that was possible? See the heart on top? I made this sweet little cake for our Valentine’s Day last year and in the course of a few days that cake disappeared hunk by hunk from the kitchen counter. It’s no wonder Molly decided to serve this cake as her wedding cake. Hope you win some Hearts & Minds this Valentine’s Day! XOXO

And we’re off!

Gather your fancy pants ingredients. Don’t skimp. Get the good stuff!

Melt the chocolate & the butter together. Add in the sugar & let the mixture cool, slightly.

Now it’s time for the eggs! Add them in and mix well! Then add your flour. Super easy alert!

Pour the batter into your buttered/parchment lined pan. Now bake!

Let the cake cool and then invert it!

When the cake has cooled, you can dust it with powdered sugar.

Here’s my little heart template I cut out of parchment.

Say hello to one of the best/easiest chocolate cakes you’ll ever make.

It definitely won my HEART and MIND.

Winning Hearts & Minds Chocolate Cake

Serves 8 (or two people in my case!)

(recipe from Molly Wizenberg)

• 7 ounces (200 grams) best-quality dark chocolate
• 7 ounces (200 grams) unsalted European-style butter, cut into ½-inch cubes
• 1 1/3 cup (250 grams) granulated sugar
• 5 large eggs
• 1 tablespoon unbleached all-purpose flour

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit, and butter an 8-inch round cake pan. Line the base of the pan with parchment, and butter the parchment too.

Finely chop the chocolate with a serrated knife and melt it gently with the butter in a double boiler or in the microwave, stirring regularly to combine. Add the sugar to the chocolate-butter mixture, stirring well, and set aside to cool for a few moments. Then add the eggs one by one, stirring well after each addition, and then add the flour. The batter should be smooth, dark, and utterly gorgeous. (don’t you just love Molly’s writing?)

Pour batter into the buttered cake pan and bake for approximately 25 minutes, or until the center of the cake looks set and the top is shiny and a bit crackly-looking. (I usually set the timer for 20 minutes initially, and then I check the cake every two minutes thereafter until it’s done. At 20 minutes, it’s usually quite jiggly in the center. You’ll know it’s done when it jiggles only slightly, if at all.) Let the cake cool in its pan on a rack for 10 minutes; then carefully turn the cake out of the pan and revert it, so that the crackly side is facing upward.  Allow to cool completely. The cake will deflate slightly as it cools.

Serve in wedges at room temperature with a loose dollop of ever-so-slightly sweetened whipped cream.