ST. LOUIS —
Chocolate Chip Snack Cake
by Jessie Sheehan
1 cup mini chocolate chips
2 cups, plus 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour, divided
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
3/4 cup oil
1 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup dark brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 cup full-fat sour cream
Turbinado sugar for sprinkling
Vanilla ice cream and hot fudge sauce for serving optional
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly spray an 8-by-8-inch pan with cooking spray. Cover the bottom of the pan with parchment paper.
Place the mini chocolate chips in small bowl and lightly spray them with cooking spray. Toss them with 1 tablespoon of all-purpose flour until covered, and place in the freezer.
Whisk the remaining 2 cups of flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium-sized bowl.
Place the oil and sugars in a large bowl and whisk until thoroughly combined. Add the eggs and vanilla and whisk again, add the sour cream and whisk a final time. With a rubber spatula, gently fold the dry mixture into the wet, until just a few streaks of flour remain.
Fold about 3/4 of the frozen chocolate chips into the batter. Transfer the batter to the prepared pan and sprinkle the remaining chips and the Turbinado sugar over the top.
Place the pan in the oven and bake for 40 to 45 minutes, rotating the pan after 25, and checking on the cake after 40. The cake is ready when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a moist crumb or two.
Let the cake rest on a wire rack until cool enough to handle - it will sink a bit in the middle as it cools - then invert the cake right side-up on to a serving platter. Let cool completely and serve slices with vanilla ice cream and chocolate sauce. Or eat the cake warm (I won't tell).