Test the baking powder and baking soda for freshness:
This cake depends on baking powder and baking soda to rise so that the cake won't be dense and tough. Test the baking powder and baking soda for freshness before proceeding with the recipe. Mix a small amount of baking powder with hot water and it should bubble right away. If not, you need a new baking powder. Mix a small amount of baking soda with few drops of an acid such as vinegar or lemon juice and it should bubble right away too.
Prepare the cake batter:
Grease your pan with some oil and line your baking pan with parchment paper on all sides
Preheat the oven at 170 C (340 F). Put cream cheese, butter and dark chocolate in a heat-proof bowl that can sit on top of a saucepan with some water inside the pan, without the water touching the bowl. We will melt the cream cheese mixture over gently simmering water. Stir until they are all melted into a thick paste. Remove from the saucepan and wipe the bottom of the bowl
Let the cream cheese mixture cools down before adding eggs as we don't want to cook the eggs. Then add eggs and sugar and whisk again to combine into a smooth and more watery batter. Sift in the cake flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda and use a spatula/whisk to fold in the mixture until you no longer see loose flour
Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Sprinkle with some chocolate sprinkles (chocolate rice). If you use larger-size chocolate, tossed them in a bit of flour and shake off excess flour to prevent the chips from sinking. Bake for 45 minutes- 1 hour (depending on your oven) or until a skewer inserted into the cake comes out clean
Cool down the cake:
Lift the cake out from the pan by grabbing the parchment paper. Set it on top of a cooling rack and peel off the parchment paper and let the cake cools down completely
Like many cakes, this butter cake tastes best the next day. So if you can wait until the next day, you will find that the flavor is much better and the cake is moister and richer
Storage:
Let the cake cools down completely, wrap it in a cling wrap and store in an air-tight container. The cake can be kept this way at room temperature for about 4-5 days