Minimize cracks. Don’t overmix the filling as this can contribute to cracking. The water bath in the oven and the slow cooling process also helps minimize cracks. Sometimes, you can do all the right things and the cake will still rise in the oven and then crack when it cools. It won’t affect the taste, but the presentation may not meet your standards.

Cover cracks. If you’re worried about it, have ingredients on hand (heavy cream and more chocolate chips) to make a chocolate ganache — you can spread it over the top to cover any imperfections.

Next level recipe upgrades. You can take this recipe to the next level by making your own sweetened, condensed milk or by adding mix-ins. Homemade sweetened, condensed milk is a surprising upgrade. I only did that once because my husband bought evaporated milk by accident, but the difference was noticeable. As for mix-ins, I have mixed in chopped Oreo cookies and, separately, chopped peanut butter cups. Just stir them into the filling before you pour it in the pan.