Everyday Food: Easy chocolate cake recipes that are hard to resist

Chocolate Bundt cake is always a welcome pick-me-up, and this one is especially so. Baked with both instant powdered and brewed espresso, it boasts subtle coffee flavors. Sour cream in the batter ensures a moist texture and enhances the flavor.

Filling:

• 1 tablespoon Dutch-process cocoa powder
• 1 tablespoon instant espresso powder
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar

Cake:

• 3 sticks plus 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
•  1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon Dutch-process cocoa powder
• 3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons coarse salt
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 cup brewed espresso or very strong coffee
• 1 tablespoon instant espresso powder
• 1 cup sour cream
• 2 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 4 large eggs, room temperature
• 1 cup (5 ounces) very finely chopped bittersweet chocolate (61 percent cacao)
• Powdered sugar, for dusting
• Lightly whipped cream, for serving
• Candied lemon zest (recipe below)

1. Filling: Heat oven to 325 degrees. Stir together cocoa, espresso powder and granulated sugar.

2. Cake: In a small bowl, mash together 2 tablespoons butter and 1 tablespoon cocoa; generously brush a 12-cup nonstick Bundt pan with mixture. In another bowl, whisk together flour, salt, baking soda and baking powder. In another bowl, whisk brewed espresso into remaining 1/2 cup cocoa and espresso powder until smooth; whisk in sour cream.

3. With a mixer on medium-high speed, beat remaining 3 sticks butter with granulated sugar until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Reduce speed to low and add flour mixture in three batches, alternating with cocoa mixture in two batches. Beat to combine, scraping down bowl as needed. Beat in chopped chocolate.

4. Transfer one-third of batter to prepared pan. Sprinkle with half of filling, avoiding edges. Repeat, then finish with remaining one-third of batter, smoothing top with an offset spatula. Bake until a tester inserted in center comes out clean, about 1 hour. Let cool in pan on wire rack 15 minutes, then turn cake out onto rack; let cool completely, at least 2 hours.

5. Dust with powdered sugar. Serve, with a dollop of whipped cream and some candied lemon zest.

Nutritional analysis per serving: 659 calories, 38 grams fat, 78 grams carbohydrates, 9 grams protein, 146 milligrams cholesterol, 428 milligrams sodium, 4 grams dietary fiber, 50 percent of calories from fat.

• 4 lemons, well scrubbed
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 cup cool water

1. Remove zest from lemons with a vegetable peeler, keeping pieces long. Remove white pith using a paring knife. Cut into a fine julienne using a very sharp knife. Place julienned zest in a small bowl; cover with boiling water. Let stand 30 minutes; drain.

2. Bring sugar and the cool water to a boil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. When sugar is completely dissolved, add julienned zest, reduce heat to medium low and cook 10 minutes. Remove from heat, cover and let stand overnight.

Nutritional analysis per serving: 52 calories, trace fat, 13 grams carbohydrates, trace protein, no cholesterol, trace sodium, 1 gram dietary fiber, 0 percent of calories from fat.

This crowd-pleaser is moist, dense and ultra-chocolaty. Lift the cake out of the pan with its parchment-paper liner and let the shiny chocolate glaze drizzle down the sides. Then, sprinkle on toasted pecans.

Cake:

• 2 sticks unsalted butter, plus more, room temperature, for pan
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon coarse salt
•  1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 cup unsweetened natural cocoa powder
• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 1/2 cup buttermilk
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Icing:

• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 3 tablespoons unsweetened natural cocoa powder
• 6 tablespoons heavy cream
• 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1 3/4 cups plus 2 tablespoons powdered sugar, sifted
• 1 cup finely chopped toasted pecans (4 ounces)

1. Cake: Heat oven to 375 degrees. Lightly butter a 9-by-13-inch cake pan. Line with parchment, leaving a 2-inch overhang on long sides. In a large heatproof bowl, whisk together flour, granulated sugar, baking soda, salt and cinnamon.

2. Melt butter in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Whisk in cocoa, then 1 cup water, increase heat to medium-high and bring to a boil, whisking occasionally. Pour over flour mixture and stir to combine. Stir in eggs, buttermilk and vanilla.

3. Pour batter into prepared pan; smooth top with an offset spatula. Bake until a tester inserted in center comes out clean, 22 to 24 minutes.

4. Icing: In a small saucepan, bring butter, cocoa and cream to a boil, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat; whisk in vanilla and powdered sugar. Let stand until warm before using.

5. Transfer cake in pan to a wire rack; let cool 15 minutes. Pour glaze over cake. (For a more elegant presentation, remove cake from pan using parchment and place on a serving platter before glazing.) Sprinkle with pecans and let cool before serving.

Nutritional analysis per serving: 587 calories, 32 grams fat, 74 grams carbohydrates, 5 grams protein, 103 milligrams cholesterol, 291 milligrams sodium, 2 grams dietary fiber, 48 percent of calories from fat.

This beauty has the understated cocoa flavor of German chocolate cake. It’s baked with a splash of Chambord and layered with a sweet raspberry filling.

Cake:

• Vegetable-oil cooking spray
• 1  1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup Dutch-process cocoa powder
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon coarse salt
• 1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 1/4 cups sugar
• 3 large eggs, room temperature
• 1 tablespoon raspberry liqueur, such as Chambord or framboise (optional)
• 1 cup buttermilk, room temperature
• 4 ounces bittersweet chocolate (61 percent cacao), melted and cooled

Filling:

• 4 packages (6 ounces each) fresh raspberries (a scant 6 cups)
•  3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
• Pinch of coarse salt
• 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
• Chocolate frosting (recipe below)

1. Cake: Heat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly coat three 8-by-2-inch round cake pans with cooking spray. Line bottoms with parchment. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt. In another large bowl, beat butter with sugar on high speed until light and fluffy, 3 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in liqueur. Reduce speed to low and add flour mixture in three batches, alternating with buttermilk in two batches. Beat to combine, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Beat in melted chocolate.

2. Divide batter evenly among prepared pans, smoothing tops with an offset spatula. Bake, rotating pans halfway through front to back and top to bottom, until a tester inserted in centers comes out clean, about 25 minutes. Let cakes cool in pans on a wire rack 10 minutes. Run a small sharp knife around edges, then invert onto rack. Remove parchment and let cool completely, about 25 minutes. With a serrated knife, trim tops of cakes so they’re level.

3. Filling: While cakes are baking, stir together 3 cups raspberries, sugar, salt and lemon juice in a medium saucepan. Cook over high heat, stirring frequently and mashing with the back of a spoon, until mixture comes to a boil, 2 minutes. Continue to cook, stirring until mixture thickens and clings to spoon, 7 to 8 minutes more. (You should have 1  1/3 cups.) Let cool 30 minutes. Stir in 2 cups raspberries, reserving remainder.

4. Spread half of filling over one cake. Top with second layer; spread remaining filling over top. Top with final layer, cut-side down. Refrigerate, covered, at least 1 hour and up to overnight. Spread frosting over top and sides of cake. Garnish with remaining raspberries.

Nutritional analysis per serving: 800 calories, 52 grams fat, 89 grams carbohydrates, 10 grams protein, 145 milligrams cholesterol, 342 milligrams sodium, 10 grams dietary fiber, 54 percent of calories from fat.

• 2  1/4 cups powdered sugar, sifted
• 1/4 cup Dutch-processed cocoa powder
• Pinch of coarse salt
• 6 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
• 1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature
• 9 ounces bittersweet chocolate (61 percent cacao), melted and cooled
• 3/4 cup creme fraiche or sour cream

Sift together sugar, cocoa and salt. Beat cream cheese with butter on medium-high speed until smooth. Reduce speed to medium-low; gradually add cocoa mixture and beat until combined. Pour in chocolate in a slow, steady stream. Add creme fraiche; beat until combined. Frosting can be stored in refrigerator up to 5 days; bring to room temperature and beat before using.

Nutritional analysis per serving: 395 calories, 33 grams fat, 30 grams carbohydrates, 4 grams protein, 60 milligrams cholesterol, 65 milligrams sodium, 4 grams dietary fiber, 68 percent of calories from fat.