Suzy French Chocolate Cake

Chocolate cake is always a winner of the table, and Suzy cake – French chocolate cake – brings it to a new level. Rich and decadent, soft and fluffy, this super-moist five-ingredient cake is made in one hour! Could you resist not making it?

I always look for some chocolate to enrich and sweeten up my life, and to surprise my guys at home who are great chocolate lovers. Our kitchen has a good stock of dark chocolate in case if I decide to bake something chocolate.

There is one cake that I can make even at 9 p.m. on a Friday, after a busy working week. It satisfies my chocolate craving and works as a kind of psychotherapy. This cake is called Suzy cake – a French chocolate cake.

Jump to:

• History of Suzy cake
• What makes a cake moist?
• Is dark chocolate good for you?
• How to choose dark chocolate?
• Why French chocolate cake recipe works
• How to make French chocolate cake step by step
• Expert tips
• More delicious chocolate recipes you will love
• Suzy French Chocolate Cake

History of Suzy cake

Why is this chocolate cake called Suzy? The cake was created by a friend of Pierre Hermé, Suzy Palatin, an outstanding cook, who wrote many books. For Pierre Hermé, this cake was as a revelation; he described it as being “extraordinarily good and very simple to make,” which is indeed the case!

What makes a cake moist?

Here are some simple tips to make a cake moist.

1. Replace water with milk.
2. Add 3 to 4 whole eggs instead of two. Moreover, extra yolks give the cake ultra-moistness!  Replace two whole eggs with three egg yolks.
3. Add 1/2 cup of sour cream or mascarpone.
4. Use real butter instead of margarine.
5. Add an extra 1/3 cup vegetable oil to the cake dough.

Is dark chocolate good for you?

• Dark chocolate lows the risk of heart disease.
• Dark chocolate is rich in fiber and minerals such as iron, magnesium, copper, and manganese.
• It is an excellent source of powerful antioxidants.
• Dark chocolate has a role in decreasing blood pressure.
• It significantly decreases LDL (“bad”) cholesterol, increases HDL (“good”) cholesterol and lowers total cholesterol for people with its high level.
• Dark chocolate protects the skin from sun damage. Next time you go on vacation, increase the amount of consumed dark chocolate!

How to choose dark chocolate?

Choose dark chocolate with a cocoa content of 70% or higher. The higher the cocoa content, the more beneficial dark chocolate. Try to avoid brands of dark chocolate that contain trans-fat, milk, artificial flavorings, and high amounts of sugar.

Choose dark chocolate made from fair-trade and organic cacao beans. And that last thing to look at with buying high-quality chocolate is to avoid Dutched dark chocolate. This type of chocolate is treated with alkali that changes the color of the chocolate and reduces its bitterness. This chocolate also contains fewer amounts of antioxidants.

My top preference is Scharffen Berger dark chocolate * or Valrhona dark chocolate *, which contains 70% cacao.

Why French chocolate cake recipe works

1. Due to easy making and simple ingredients, it is a go-to chocolate cake for any occasion.
2. It is a one-bowl cake recipe, which is a bonus.
3. The recipe calls for only five basic ingredients.
4. This intensely chocolatey and incredibly moist chocolate cake is made of pure chocolate: no cocoa powder * is used.

How to make French chocolate cake step by step

Preheat oven to 355 F/180 C. Butter a 9 inch/23 cm pie pan *, cover the bottom with parchment paper *, butter the paper, and set aside (photo 1).

Melt the dark chocolate in a microwave or bain-marie/water bath (click here to read how to melt chocolate), set aside and let it cool. The chocolate should be slightly warm to touch.

In a bowl, whisk butter and sugar with an electric or stand mixer * until the mixture is creamy, and the sugar is perfectly amalgamated (photo 2).

Add eggs (at room temperature) one by one, beating for about a minute each time. The mixture will become granular: it is all right (photo 3). Reduce the speed to a minimum, pour the cooled chocolate, and mix until it is incorporated. Keep the same low speed, add flour, and mix until it disappears from the dough, but do not overmix. (photo 4)

Pour the dough into the pan, smooth the top with a rubber spatula * (photo 5), and bake for about 25 to 30 minutes. It may happen that the top will become cracked, and the cake will not look cooked entirely in the center, which is all right (photo 6). Check the readiness of the cake: when you insert a knife in the center of the cake, some stained dough will appear on the surface of the blade.

Take the cake out of the oven and place it (still being in the pan) on a wire rack * and let it cool down. Once the cake has cooled at the room temperature, refrigerate it for 1 to 2 hours to facilitate the removal of the cake. Turn the cake over, remove parchment paper *, and place it on a plate. Let the cake come to room temperature before cutting and serving.

Expert tips

1. Use a top-quality Scharffen Berger dark chocolate * or Valrhona dark chocolate *, which contains 70% cacao.
2. Serve the cake in a pan without chilling if you prefer.
3. To facilitate the removal of the cake, bake it in a 9 inch/23 cm springform pan * or a fluted tart pan *. A glass bottom springform pan * is the best!
4. Cut the cake, wiping the knife off before each cut.

More delicious chocolate recipes you will love

• French Chocolate Ganache Tart Recipe
• French Dark Chocolate Mousse Recipe
• Chocolate Terrine Dessert With Meringue

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The recipe was adapted from https://perleensucre.com/. It was originally published on February 24, 2019. The recipe has been revised to include improved content and photos. All posted pictures are mine.