The Border Grill’s Chocolate Mocha Cake
18 ounces bittersweet chocolate, cut up
2 sticks unsalted butter (8 oz)
6 eggs
2 tablespoons instant espresso coffee powder
1 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons powdered sugar
1/4 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup pecan halves, toasted
Preheat oven to 425ºF. Grease one 9-inch round cake pan. Line bottom with a round of parchment or wax paper.
In a 2-qt glass bowl, combine 16 ozs. chocolate and the butter. Heat in a microwave oven on High 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 minutes, stirring once or twice, until melted and smooth. In a large bowl, beat eggs with an electric mixer on high speed until slightly thickened and lemon colored, 5 to 7 minutes.
Fold 1/3 of eggs into chocolate mixture. Fold in remaining eggs until well blended. Fold in espresso powder. Turn batter into prepared pan. Set in another larger pan and add water to reach 1/3 way up side of cake pan. Bake 5 minutes. Cover pan with foil. Bake 10 minutes longer. remove cake pan from water bath, uncover, and let cake cool on a rack 45 minutes.
Refrigerate at least 6 hours or overnight. With a sharp knife, loosen sides of cake from pan. Turn out onto a serving plate.
An hour or so before serving, in a medium bowl, beat together heavy cream and powdered sugar with an electric mixer on high speed until soft peaks form.
Add sour cream and vanilla and beat until well mixed and peaks hold their shape. Spread over top and sides of cooled cake.
Arrange pecans around edge of cake. Melt remaining 2 ozs. chocolate and drizzle with a fork over top of cake in a decorative pattern.
Refrigerate until serving time.
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