A Chocolate Cake to Cure the Blues

There are those of us who deal with depression by going shopping. And there are those of us who opt for a bottle of scotch and a few Frank Sinatra albums. While there are others still who choose to eat their way out of a depression, sitting in front of the telly watching old episodes of Laverne & Shirley or something.

As for me, I fall into the shopping category — because really, sometimes all you need is a lovely new lipstick, a pretty pair of shoes, and a stack of shiny new books to get you through whatever it is that's got you down. Alternatively, a lovely new dress from Boden could also do the trick. However, we are in a rather dreary recession at the moment, and spending money on superfluous items may not be advisable, or even wise. That being the case, where does one turn for comfort? I'm sorry to say, but scotch simply would not do it for me — although Frank Sinatra might.

Typically when I get down, I am not the sort who likes to sit down and pig out. I don't like feeling sick from gorging myself, particularly when I am already not feeling grand. Although, one could argue that a terribly successful shopping trip could have the same effect. You know that feeling — so sick to your stomach that you think you may actually throw up, and did I really need that lovely pair of boots? Yes, shopping can do that. And alas, it happens to the best of us.

So this morning as I sat feeding Emilia her breakfast and longing to go to the new shops at the Bravern, I thought, 'Hmmm, I remember an enormous chocolate cake I made when we lived in Bellevue that seemed to make the world a better place. Maybe that's the ticket.' And I'm sure our checking account will thank me later — although, I'm not so sure my jeans will.

This recipe calls for lots of dishes, so consider yourself warned. However, my husband actually said as he ate up his cake tonight, 'This is fabulous!' And, as a general rule, he could do without chocolate layer cakes. Emilia also loved the little bit that she had. While the layers cooled on the counter this afternoon, she tried desperately to pull them off, shouting 'Bite! Bite!'

Chocolate Fudge Cake

for the cake:

2 ⅔ cups flour

¾ cup, plus 1 tablespoon sugar
⅓ cup light brown sugar

¼ cup best-quality cocoa powder

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt

3 eggs

½ cup, plus 2 tablespoons sour cream

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

¾ cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled

½ cup vegetable oil

1 ⅓ cups chilled water

for the frosting:

6 ounces bittersweet chocolate, minimum 70% cocoa solids

1 cup, plus 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 ¾ cups confectioners' sugar, sifted

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 350°.

Butter and line the bottom of two 8-inch cake pans.

Mix the flour, sugars, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl. In another bowl, whisk the eggs, sour cream, and vanilla. In a big bowl, whisk the melted butter and vegetable oil just until blended, then whisk in the water. Add the dry ingredients and whisk until fully incorporated. Add the egg mixture, and whisk until well combined. Pour into your prepared pans trying to get equal parts in each.

Bake for 45-50 minutes, or until your cake-tester comes out clean. Cool on wire racks for 15 minutes and then turn out onto the racks so they can cool completely.

For the frosting: melt chocolate (use either a double-broiler or the microwave — I typically go for the double-broiler method) and let it cool slightly.

Using your mixer, beat the butter until pale and creamy. And the confectioners' sugar and beat until well combined. Don't forget to sift the confectioners' sugar first, otherwise you will get lumpy frosting. Then add your vanilla and chocolate and beat until glossy.

Sandwich the cake with a quarter of the frosting, and use the rest for the sides and top.

**Quick Note — Cleaning out butter that has exploded in the microwave is one of my least favorite tasks. So, with that in mind, you may want to keep an eye on your butter while it melts. Maybe do it in 15 second increments.

According to Nigella, to whom the recipe belongs, this cake 'serves 10, or 1 with a broken heart.' (Recipe from: Nigella Bites, by Nigella Lawson, Hyperion Books, 2002.)