Chocolate and Sour Cream Cake

Directions
Preparation:30min  ›  Cook:1hour  ›  Ready in:1hour30min 

1. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees C. Butter a 25cm ring cake tin.
2. Sift together the flour, cocoa, baking powder, bicarb soda, cinnamon and salt; set aside.
3. In a medium bowl, beat the butter and sugar with an electric mixer on high speed until light and fluffy. Change the mixer speed to medium and beat in the vanilla essence.
4. Beat in the eggs one at a time. With the mixer on low speed, alternately beat the flour mixture and sour cream into the creamed mixture, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Beat only until just blended.
5. Topping: In a small bowl combine the chocolate, pecans, sugar and cinnamon to make a crumb mixture.
6. Spread half of the cake mixture in the bottom of the prepared tin. Sprinkle with half of the crumb mixture. Pour in the remaining mixture and sprinkle with the remaining crumb mixture. Press the crumbs in lightly so they stick to the mixture.
7. Quickly, but gently cut through the mixture and crumbs in an up and down motion with a knife. Lightly tap the pan once against a hard surface to settle the mixture.
8. Bake in the preheated oven for 40 minutes. Cover the top of the cake with foil. Continue baking until a skewer inserted halfway between the side of the pan and the tube pan comes out clean, about 20 minutes longer.
9. Cool the cake in the tin on a wire rack for 30 minutes. Carefully loosen the cake from the sides of the pan. Turn out onto a cooling rack, and allow to cool completely.