Ingredients

Makes 16 to 20 servings

　　2 1/4 cups cake flour

　　3/4 cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa

　　1/2 teaspoon salt

　　1/4 teaspoon baking soda

　　1 cup sour cream (8 1/2 ounces)

　　2 1/4 sticks (1 cup plus 2 tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened

　　1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

　　1 1/2 cups packed dark brown sugar

　　1 tablespoon chocolate extract* (optional)

　　1 teaspoon vanilla extract

　　6 large eggs

　　3 ounces fine-quality bittersweet chocolate (not unsweetened)

　　2 tablespoons unsalted butter

　　Accompaniments:brown sugar sour cream

　　strawberries

　　*available by mail order

　　

Step 1

Do not preheat oven. Butter and flour a 12-cup bundt pan, knocking out any excess flour.

　　

Step 2

Into a small bowl sift together flour, unsweetened cocoa powder, and salt. In another small bowl stir together baking soda and sour cream.

　　

Step 3

In a large bowl with an electric mixer (preferably a standing electric mixer) beat together butter and sugars until light and fluffy, about 10 minutes. Beat in extracts and add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. With mixer at low speed, add flour mixture and sour cream mixture alternately in batches, beating until just combined.

　　

Step 4

Pour batter into bundt pan and put in middle of cold oven. Set oven to 350°F and bake cake 1 hour and 25 minutes, or until a tester comes out clean. Cool cake in pan on a rack 15 minutes and turn out onto rack to cool completely. Pound cake keeps, wrapped in plastic wrap, at room temperature 1 week. Alternatively, pound cake may be frozen, wrapped well in plastic wrap and foil, 3 months.

　　

Step 5

Chop bittersweet chocolate and in a double boiler or a metal bowl set over a saucepan of barely simmering water melt chocolate with butter, stirring until smooth. Transfer glaze to a pastry bag fitted with a #3 plain tip (slightly smaller than 1/8 inch). (Alternatively, transfer glaze to a small heavy-duty sealable plastic bag and press out excess air. Snip off 1 corner, making a small hole.) Pipe glaze back and forth over top of cake, letting it drip down sides. Let glaze set 30 minutes at room temperature.

　　

Step 6

Serve cake with dollops of sour cream and strawberries.