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1
Place oven rack one-third up from the bottom of the oven; preheat oven to 350.
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2
You will need a loaf pan with a 7-cup capacity9 1/2 inch x 4 1/2 inch x 3 inches.
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3
If necessary, use a larger pan, not smaller (it is best to check by capacity, rather than dimensions).
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4
Butter the pan and dust well with fine, dry breadcrumbs, then, over a piece of paper, tap firmly to shake out excess crumbs; set pan aside.
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5
Sift together the flour, salt, baking soda, cocoa, and powdered instant espresso; set aside.
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6
In a big bowl of an electric mixer, on low speed, beat the egg, sour cream, and sugar just to mix; beat in the melted butter.
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7
On low speed add the sifted dry ingredientsthey may be added all at once, scraping the bowl with a rubber spatula and beating only until the mixture is smooth.
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8
Remove from the mixer and stir in the nuts.
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9
Turn the mixture into the prepared pan; smooth the top.
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10
Bake for 1 hour until a pick comes out clean.
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11
Cool the cake in the pan for 10-15 minutes, then cover it with a rack, turn over the apn and the rack, remove the pan, cover with another rack, and turn over again, leaving the cake right side up; let stand until completely cool.
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12
When the cake is cool, wrap it in plastic wrap and refrigerate or freeze it until it is thoroughly chilled, or refrigerate it for a day or two.
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13
It is best to slice the cake when it is cold; cut into 18 to 20 half inch slices.
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14
The cake may be serve cold or at room temperature.
