Chocolate Cake Recipe
with blueberry compote and vanilla bean creme anglaise.
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Ingredients
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Chocolate Cake
Blueberry Compote
Vanilla Bean Crème Anglaise
Optional Finishing
Method
Chocolate Cake
- 1
- 2
Dry ingredients
In a large bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, cocoa powder, granulated sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until evenly combined and free of lumps.
- 3
Wet ingredients
In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs lightly, then add the buttermilk, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract. Combine until smooth.
- 4
Combine and add hot liquid
Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients and stir until just combined. Slowly add the hot water or hot coffee while stirring — the batter will be thin. Mix until homogenous but do not overmix.
- 5
Bake
Pour batter into prepared pan(s) and smooth the top. Bake in the preheated oven 30–35 minutes for a single 9-inch pan (or 20–25 minutes for 8-inch layers), or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs. Rotate pan halfway through baking if your oven has hot spots.
- 6
Blueberry Compote
- 7
Combine berries and sugar
In a small saucepan, combine the blueberries, granulated sugar, lemon juice, lemon zest, and 2 tablespoons water. Stir to distribute the sugar.
- 8
Simmer
Place the pan over medium heat. Bring to a gentle simmer, stirring occasionally. As berries release juices and soften (about 5–7 minutes), mash a few berries with the back of a spoon if you prefer a less chunky compote.
- 9
Thicken
In a small cup, whisk the cornstarch with 1 tablespoon cold water to make a slurry. Stir the slurry into the simmering blueberries and cook 1–2 more minutes until the compote thickens slightly. Remove from heat and let cool; it will continue to thicken as it cools.
- 10
Adjust
Taste and adjust sweetness or brightness: add a pinch more sugar if too tart or a few drops of lemon juice if too sweet. Cool to warm or room temperature before serving.
Vanilla Bean Crème Anglaise
- 11
Prepare vanilla infusion
If using a vanilla bean, split it lengthwise and scrape the seeds into a medium saucepan. Add the pod and pour in the milk and heavy cream. Heat over medium until just below a simmer (bubbles forming at the edge) — do not boil. Remove from heat and let steep 10–15 minutes for stronger vanilla flavor, then remove the bean pod.
- 12
Whisk yolks and sugar
While the milk steeps, whisk together the egg yolks, granulated sugar, and salt in a heatproof bowl until the mixture is pale and slightly thickened.
- 13
- 14
Cook custard
Pour the tempered yolk mixture back into the saucepan with the remaining milk. Cook over low to medium-low heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon or heatproof spatula, scraping the bottom, until the custard thickens and coats the back of the spoon (an instant-read thermometer should read 175–180°F / 80–82°C). Do not let it boil or it will curdle.
- 15
Strain and chill
Immediately remove from heat and strain the crème anglaise through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean bowl to remove any cooked bits. If using vanilla extract instead of a bean, stir it in now. Cool slightly, then cover with plastic pressed directly onto the surface to prevent a skin. Chill in the refrigerator until cold or serve warm as desired.
Assembly & Serving
- 16
Plate
Slice the cooled chocolate cake. Spoon a generous pool of vanilla bean crème anglaise onto each plate, place a slice of cake on top or alongside, and spoon warm or room-temperature blueberry compote over the cake.
- 17
Garnish
Dust with powdered sugar if desired, garnish with fresh blueberries and mint leaves, and serve immediately.