This decadent double chocolate chiffon cake is so so delicious, you might want to think twice before making one. Its dramatic height and impressive size might suggest this dessert could feed an army but don’t be fooled, it won’t last 24 hours in your house. A rich combination of cocoa powder and dark chocolate chunks, along with a moist, soft, marshmallow-like texture, results in one dangerously addictive cake. Proceed at your own risk!
For best results, use an angel-food/chiffon cake pan. If you don’t have one, any 10-inch tube pan with a removable bottom will work, just find a bottle with a neck thin enough to fit into the tube so that you can suspend the cake pan upside down on the bottle to cool.
Make sure your eggs are at room temperature before whipping the whites.
If you’re looking for a classic white Chiffon cake recipe click here.
Double Chocolate chiffon cake
- 1/2 cup (50 g) unsweetened cocoa powder
- 3/4 cup (180 ml) boiling water
- 3 oz (85 g) dark chocolate, 70% cacao
- 1 3/4 cups (350 g) sugar, divided
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup (110 g) vegetable oil
- 5 large egg yolks
- 1 3/4 cups (180 g) cake flour (sifted before measuring)
- 8 egg whites (1 cup, or 255 g), at room temperature
- 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
Serves: 10 to 12
Preheat the oven to 325°F (160°C). Have ready a 10-inch angel food pan (do not butter or grease your pan!).
Combine the cocoa powder and bowling water in a very large mixing bowl and set aside to cool for 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, chop chocolate into very small pieces and set aside.
Add 300 g of sugar to the cooled cocoa mixture (set aside the remaining 50 g of sugar for a later use).Whisk in baking powder, baking soda, salt, oil, egg yolks, and vanilla until the ingredients are well blended. Add the flour and whisk until blended and smooth. Set aside.
In another large bowl, or the bowl of your stand mixer, beat the egg whites with the cream of tartar until soft peaks are formed. Gradually add the remaining 1/4 cup (50 g) sugar, and beat on high speed until the peaks are stiff but not dry.
Use a large rubber spatula to carefully fold one quarter of the egg whites in to the cocoa batter to loosen it up. Scrape the remaining egg whites into the bowl and sprinkle the chopped chocolate over the top. Fold the egg whites and chocolate into the batter.
Scrape the batter into the pan. Bake in preheated oven for 55-60 minutes, or until a tooth pick inserted in a couple of places comes out clean and dry.
Let cake cool, upside-down, for 2-6 hours before removing from pan. If using a tube pan instead of the angel-food pan, insert the neck of a bottle into the hole and carefully turn the pan upside down, holding on to the bottle, and let it rest, suspended on the neck of the bottle.
To remove, turn right-side-up, run a small knife around the edges to detach cake from sides of pan. Invert onto a serving platter and gently remove bottom.
Sprinkle the cake with a little powdered sugar (or drizzle with chocolate ganache). Slice with a sharp, serrated knife to serve.
