Ingredients
Units
- 3 cups (400g) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 cup (225g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1 cup white granulated sugar
- 1 cup light brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon almond extract (optional but very good)
- 4 eggs, at room temperature
- 1 cup (250g) sour cream, at room temperature
- Scant 1 1/2 cups (250g) semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 3 tablespoons whipping cream
Instructions
- Preheat oven at 350°F /180°C.
- Spray or butter an 8x11-inch rectangular pan or similar, line the bottom with parchment paper if you want to, or sprinkle with fine dry breadcrumbs or flour.
- Take a tablespoon from the flour amount and mix it in a bowl with the chocolate chips (to prevent them from going to the bottom of the cake).
- In a large bowl beat the butter until creamy and add both sugars gradually, beating for 2-3 minutes total.
- Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
- Add vanilla and almond extracts, if using, and mix.Â
- Add sifted dry ingredients - flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt - in 3 parts alternating with the sour cream in 2 parts. I have the dry ingredients measured and sift them directly into the butter mixture, but you can sift them first in another bowl if you want to.
- Mix well but don't beat too much, only until just incorporated.
- Add chips and cream and mix well. I recommend doing this with a spatula.
- Pour into the prepared pan and bake for 45-55 minutes, or until a cake tester or toothpick comes out clean.
- Let cool on a wire rack.
- If some cake stuck to the sides carefully run a smooth blade knife around the sides before removing it from the pan.
- Serve at room temperature.
Notes
- Organization:Â read the recipe first and ensure you have ingredients at the correct temperature, equipment, and enough workspace. This will make the process so much easier.
- Baking time:Â consider that all ovens and pans are different, even if they look similar. The baking time in my recipes is as accurate as it can be, but it might take you more or less time. You can use a thermometer (like the OXO oven thermometer) to check that your oven is at the right temperature. I recommend you keep track of how your oven works and what tiny details you might need to adjust.Â
- Sugar: some readers successfully reduce the amount of sugar to 1 3/4 cups total (white and light brown).
- Variation: add nuts instead of chips. Or use milk chocolate chips. Add a spice like ground cinnamon or a different extract like coffee. Or a tablespoon or two of liquor like Amaretto or Kahlua.
- Storing: it keeps well for a few days at room temperature as long as it's wrapped or covered with a dome. It can be frozen for a month, well wrapped.
- Glaze: you can drizzle a simple powdered sugar glaze on top before serving. Simply mix a cup of powdered sugar with a tablespoon of milk, a liquor, or cream until smooth and thick enough to drizzle.
- Cake pans: the batter is enough for 2 loaf pans (about 8x5-in each), 15-18 cupcakes, 1 tube cake, 2 or three layers (8 or 9-inch, depending on how thick you make them), or 10-12 mini bundt cakes. These are approximate, but you get an idea.Â
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Category: Cakes
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/12
- Calories: 553
- Sugar: 45.1 g
- Sodium: 266.7 mg
- Fat: 27.1 g
- Carbohydrates: 72.3 g
- Fiber: 2.4 g
- Protein: 8.4 g
- Cholesterol: 113.5 mg