The cake is done when a long toothpick or cake tester inserted near the center comes out with a few moist crumbs attached, but not wet batter. Because of all the chocolate chips, you might hit one, so test in a couple of spots. I made the mistake of pulling it out too early once, and the center collapsed. When it’s done, I let it cool in the pan on a wire rack for a full 20 minutes—no less! This allows the structure to set. Then, and only then, I place the rack over the pan and flip. I hold my breath for that magical moment it releases. The scent is unbelievable.
Pro Tips for Best Results
For an extra layer of flavor and moisture, I sometimes brush the warm, just-unmolded cake with a simple chocolate syrup or even a little coffee liqueur. It soaks right in and amplifies the chocolate experience. I tested this three different ways—plain, with syrup, and with a glaze—and the syrup brush was the favorite for an ultra-moist crumb.
To prevent the chocolate chips from all sinking to the bottom, toss them in a tablespoon of the dry cake/pudding mix mixture before folding them in. This light coating helps suspend them throughout the batter. I’ve tried it both ways, and this method gives a much more even distribution of chips in every slice.
Let the cake cool almost completely before you even think about slicing it. When it’s too warm, it will gum up your knife and can fall apart. I wait at least 2 hours. The texture is actually even better the next day, as the flavors have had time to settle and meld beautifully.(See the next page below to continue…)