Name: Mrs. Stein's Chocolate Cake
Yield: Makes 10 to 12 servings
Ingredients: Softened unsalted butter and flour, for the pan; 1 1/2 cups whole milk; 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice; 2 1/3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour; 1 cup Dutch-processed cocoa powder; 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda; 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt; 1/2 ounce (1/2 square) unsweetened chocolate, finely chopped; 10 tablespoons (1 1/4 sticks) unsalted butter, chilled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes; 1 3/4 cups superfine sugar; 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract; 3 large eggs, at room temperature, beaten; Confectioners' sugar, for garnish, optional

Mrs. Stein's Chocolate CakeQuentin Bacon

When I was gathering the recipes for this chapter, my daughters, Jennifer and Tina, reminded me of an almost ridiculously chocolate pound cake that I hadn't made in years. How I let this one slip through the cracks, I'll never know. I did some searching, and there it was, tucked away in my treasured recipe book. It was splattered with chocolate batter, a clear indication that it was a favorite that I made again and again. I received this recipe from Mrs. Stein, a Hungarian beauty who was a relative of my father-in-law, Joe Firestone. Welcome back, old friend.

Recipe notes

See Related Recipes and Cooking Tips

53 Best Chocolate Cake Recipes to Make Any Week a Better Week
A year’s worth of chocolate cakes, ready for baking.
19 of Our Favorite Pound Cakes
These sweet pound cakes pack a punch.

Caramelized Onion Pasta

Turn humble onions into this thrifty yet luxe pasta dinner.

Our Favorite French Onion Soup

Caramelized onions, melty Gruyère, and a deeply savory broth deliver the kind of comfort that doesn’t need improving.

Béchamel Sauce

This classic 15-minute sauce is your secret weapon for homemade mac and cheese, chowder, lasagna, and more.

Okonomiyaki Tater Tots

Crispy tots topped with savory-sweet sauce, mayonnaise, furikake, scallion, and katsuobushi.

Butternut Squash–Kale Salad With Roasted Garlic Vinaigrette

Round out these autumn greens with tart pomegranate seeds, crunchy pepitas, and a shower of Parmesan.

Sheet-Pan Chicken Souvlaki

Tender, juicy chicken skewers are possible in the oven—especially when roasted alongside spiced chickpeas and finished with fresh tomatoes and salty feta.

Mascarpone Cheesecake

An extra-silky filling (no water bath needed!) and a smooth sour cream topping make this the ultimate cheesecake.

Crispy Salmon With Avocado Sauce

You’ll want to put this creamy (but dairy-free) green sauce on everything and it’s particularly sublime under crispy-skinned salmon.

Recipe notes

53 Best Chocolate Cake Recipes to Make Any Week a Better Week

19 of Our Favorite Pound Cakes