My favorite chocolate cake

• Baker's Note: For the best results, aim for a high-quality unsweetened cocoa powder with a higher cocoa butter content, ideally around 20-22%. Brands like Valrhona offer such options. However, if you can't find it at your local supermarket, don't worry; you can still use the cocoa powder available there. Just be aware that using cocoa powder with lower cocoa butter content, typically around 10%, may increase the risk of your chocolate cake turning out dry or overly crumbly. So, if you encounter such results, now you know why it might have happened.
   
• Make sure you start with butter that is at room temperature 22ºC / 71,6ºF.  Having butter at room temperature allows it to combine better with the sugar properly, resulting in the lots of volume to occur during the creaming method. Having the butter soft also gives the eggs their best chance to emulsify with the butter.
   
• If your eggs aren't at room temperature when you're ready to mix your cake, you can warm them up by placing them (in the shell) in a bowl of lukewarm tap water for about 5 minutes. This helps the eggs incorporate more easily with the butter. Next, use a scale and place 250 grams of eggs and place them in a small bowl. Beat the eggs lightly with a fork. This step combines the yolks and whites, bringing the eggs closer to the consistency needed to blend smoothly with the butter, which also helps increase aeration. Set the beaten eggs aside until needed.
   
• To make the chocolate cake layers, adjust the oven rack to the lower third of the oven, and preheat the oven to 165C° /  325F° 30 minutes before baking.
   
• Use a pastry brush to lightly coat the inside of 3 x 20 cm (8 inches) round cake pans with softened or melted butter. Next, add a few tablespoons of flour and tap it around the inside of the pan until all the buttered surface is covered. Then, turn the pan upside down over a sink, tap out the excess flour, and line it with parchment circles. 
   
• Bakers note: this recipe uses both baking powder and baking soda. The baking soda is there to maximize the rice of the cake too.
   
• Sift together the 350-gram all-purpose flour, two teaspoons of baking powder, and one teaspoon of baking soda in a medium bowl. Add 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt ( omit if using salted butter). Give it a quick whisk to combine and set aside for now.
   
• In a medium bowl, add 125-gram unsweetened cocoa powder and 250 grams of strongly brewed fresh coffee or espresso, and give it a quick whisk until smooth ( the temperature of the mixture will now be around  (42C°/107.6F°); add 300-gram plain yogurt or sour cream give it a whisk until combined and smooth. The temperature of the mixture will now be around 22C°/71.6F° Wich is the ideal temperature.
   
• Place the 250-gram softened unsalted butter ( diced) and three teaspoons of vanilla bean paste (or pure vanilla extract)  in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle or whisk attachment. Turn to medium-low speed and cream the butter until pale and fluffy. About 3 minutes. The butter must be really soft for ultimate fluffiness. stopping to scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed.
   
• Add the 550-gram superfine sugar ( or white sugar), and mix until pale and fluffy. About 3 minutes! Stopping to scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed, make sure to mix on medium-low speed and never on high speed. If you mix too fast or too long, you will collapse all your air bubbles, and your cake will be really dense and brick-like-not light and fluffy.
   
• Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl, and add the five large eggs one at a time, mixing slowly on medium speed after each addition, about 30 to 40 seconds. It´s important to add them one at a time to be completely incorporated into the batter before adding in the next.
   
•  At this stage, the mixture may look broken, which is fine ( overwhipping the eggs could cause the cake to expand too much during baking and then deflate)
   
• When you add the flour mixture at this stage, it´s always important to mix as slowly and as little as necessary since you don't want to traumatize your batter.
   
• Add one-third of the flour mixture and one-third of the cocoa, coffee- and yogurt mixture to the butter mixture, beating at low speed until just combined—about 20 seconds. Stop scraping down the bowl as needed. Next, add another one-third of the flour mixture and one-third of the cocoa-coffee-and yogurt mixture to the butter mixture, beating until well incorporated, about 20 seconds. Stop scraping down the bowl as needed. Next, add the remaining flour mixture, followed by the remaining cocoa coffee- and yogurt mixture, and beat just until combined—about 20 seconds. Don't over-mix.
   
• Remove the bowl from the mixer stand and scrape the bottom of the bowl to incorporate any dry ingredients that may have settled there. If you still have lumps left and if you have an immersion blender, emulsify with a hand blender until the cake batter is smooth. ( just a few seconds)
   
• Divide the cake batter ( 2000 grams) among the two or three prepared cake pans, about 670 grams in each baking pan, and spread evenly using an offset spatula. Gently tap the pans on the counter several times to release excess air bubbles.
   
• Baker's Note: If time permits, let your cake batter sit at room temperature on the kitchen counter for about 20 minutes before baking. This allows the leavening agents to create more air bubbles and the flour to fully hydrate, resulting in a fluffier texture for your cake.
   
• Bake the first two layers in the lower third of the oven until the cakes are firm, Or a toothpick inserted into the center will emerge with a few crumbs still attached. It takes about 30 to 35 minutes.  Repeat with the final layer. 
   
• If you plan not to use the chocolate cake right away, it is best to cool the warm cake straight from the oven upside down on parchment paper sprinkled with sugar. This helps maintain the moisture in the cake, and it will be flat on the top.” You can keep it like for 30 minutes, Then use a knife, loosen the sides of the cakes, and carefully turn them out onto wire racks. Peel off the parchment paper and let it cool completely.
   
• Otherwise cool in the pan for about 20 minutes. Then use a knife, loosen the sides of the cakes, and carefully turn them out onto wire racks. Peel off the parchment paper and let it cool completely.
   
• If you don't use the cake layers right away, once cool, wrap each layer tightly in plastic wrap at room temperature for up to 4 days. 

For step-by-step pictures of how to make 
 → My favorite chocolate cake
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