Marcus’ Chocolate Cake from ‘The Bear’

Those who know me know that I am not a big TV watcher, but I make every exception in the world for The Bear because it is my perfect show and I have zero hesitation to say that it’s my favourite TV show…ever? I’m the epitome of every The Bear watcher cliché mentioned in the New York Times article — making room in my kitchen drawer for Sharpies and green tape, obsessively researching the restaurants featured in Syd’s episode of season 2, and intense desire to swap over from all my OXO containers for Cambro. This show has such a chokehold on me that I finally caved and made Marcus’ chocolate cake from the first season to celebrate the arrival of season 3 (while wearing my Carmy ‘Yes, Chef’ t-shirt).

I’ve put off making this chocolate cake recipe (the specific one from the show is shared on Food & Wine) is because it seemed both labour and ingredients intensive. I’ve never made a cake that calls for 15 eggs and that just seemed a little daunting for me and my social circle of maybe two friends. What would I do with all the extra cake? I did some very simple cake math and was able to turn the three layer, 9-inch cake recipe to a 6-inch one, which in my opinion is the perfect size for a layer cake. You do have to start the cake a day before you want to serve it because the chocolate mousse has to set overnight, but I promise you that the mousse and the rest of the cake is very much worth the effort.

I will leave you with the smaller version of the original recipe as I run off to watch the first episode of season 3. Im rooting for Carmy and Claire, by the way.

‘The Bear’ Chocolate Cake

I’ve been meaning to make this chocolate cake for the last two years since season one of the bear, but was obviously still too stressed out from episode 7 to get my act together to actually bake it. It seemed fitting to finally bake it to celebrate the arrival of season 3. The cake is a bit of work but it’s completely worth it and makes the perfect decadent chocolate cake. Serve it will ice cream as per Marcus’ instructions.

Adapted from 'The Bear' Chocolate Cake shared on Food & Wine

Makes 8

By Amy

Ingredients

Chocolate Mousse

• 115 g (2/3 cup) dark chocolate, coarsely chopped
• 35 g (2 1/2 tbsp) unsalted butter
• 5 large egg yolks, room temperature
• 25 g (2 tbsp) granulated sugar
• 2 large egg whites, room temperature
• 60 ml (1/4 cup) heavy cream

Chocolate Cake Layers

• 150 g (1 1/4 cup) all-purpose flour
• 55 g (1/2 cup and 2 tbsp) cocoa powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 3/4 tsp baking powder
• 1 1/4 tsp kosher salt
• 2 large eggs, room temperature
• 1 large egg white, room temperature
• 300 g (1 1/2 cups) granulated sugar
• 150 ml brewed coffee, room temperature
• 85 g unsalted butter, melted
• 180 g (3/4 cup) creme fraiche , room temperature

Chocolate Frosting

• 360 g (3 cups) powdered sugar
• 65 g (3/4 cup) unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 260 g (1 cup and 2 tbsp) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 60 ml (1/4 cup) heavy cream
• 1 tsp vanilla

Instructions

Chocolate Mousse

• Bring 1 inch of water to a simmer in a small pot over medium-low heat. Place a medium-size heatproof bowl over pan; add chopped chocolate and butter to the bowl, making sure bottom of bowl does not touch water. Stir until mixture is smooth, about 3 to 5 minutes. Remove chocolate mixture from heat; let cool, uncovered, at room temperature until just warm to the touch, about 10 minutes. Reduce heat to low and keep water in the saucepan at a bare simmer.
• Whisk together egg yolks and granulated sugar in bowl of a stand mixer. Place bowl over saucepan of simmering water, whisking constantly, until mixture registers 160°F on an instant-read thermometer, or until all the sugar has dissolved. Remove bowl from heat; transfer to a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat on medium-high speed until mixture is very pale yellow in colour, thick, and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Fold egg yolk mixture into cooled chocolate mixture.
• In clean bowl of stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat egg whites on medium-high speed until foamy, about 15 seconds. Beat on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form, 1 to 2 minutes.
• In another bowl, beat cream until medium peaks form.
• Fold egg white mixture into chocolate mixture in three additions. Fold in whipped cream just until mixture is combined and no dark or white streaks remain. Cover and chill at least 8 hours or up to 24 hours.

Chocolate Cake Layers

• Preheat oven to 350F. Butter three 6-inch round cake pans and line bottoms with parchment paper.
• Whisk together flour, cocoa, baking soda, and baking powder in a large bowl; whisk in salt until combined. Set aside.
• Beat eggs with a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment on medium-high speed until light and foamy, about 2 minutes. Gradually add granulated sugar; beat on medium-high speed until very pale and voluminous, about 5 minutes, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. (Mixture should fall off whisk attachment in ribbons and remain suspended briefly on the surface before sinking back into the batter.) With mixer running on low speed, add flour mixture in three additions alternately with coffee and melted butter, beginning and ending with flour mixture; beat until nearly combined, stopping to scrape down sides of bowl as needed. Add crème fraîche; beat on low speed just until combined, about 30 seconds, folding by hand toward end if needed.
• Divide batter evenly among prepared baking pans. Bake in preheated oven until a wooden pick inserted in centre of cakes comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes. Let cake layers cool in baking pans on wire racks 10 minutes; remove cakes from baking pans and let cool completely.

Chocolate Frosting

• Whisk together powdered sugar, cocoa, and salt in a medium bowl. Set aside.
• Beat butter with a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment on medium speed until creamy, about 2 minutes. Gradually add powdered sugar mixture, beating on low speed just until combined, about 2 minutes, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Increase mixer speed to medium and beat until fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. Gradually add cream and vanilla, beating on medium-low speed until combined and stopping to scrape down sides of bowl as needed.

Assembly

• Trim cakes flat using a serrated knife, if necessary. Place one cake layer on a cardboard cake round or plate. Pipe a border of icing around edge of first cake layer. Spoon half of chocolate mousse onto centre of cake, and spread evenly within border using a small offset spatula. Top with second cake layer, cut side down, and repeat process with remaining chocolate mousse. Top with third cake layer, cut side down. Spread remaining icing over top and sides of cake. Chill until set, about 15 minutes.