chocolate cake #2 - simply delicious

When you do a search (google of course) for chocolate cake, a version or reproduction of Nigella's chocolate cake recipe will invariably pop up in a number of results. I had some sour cream to use up one day and so I thought I'd give it a go. The original recipe calls for mixing the ingredients in a food processor; I don't have one, so I modified the method slightly so that I could make the cake using the usual electric hand beaters method. The result was a deliciously scrumptious chocolate cake, a little bit more moist than chocolate cake #1, but not by much. It's also possibly a little bit on the sweet side when you add the icing, but that's not necessarily a bad thing is it?

Nigella's Old Fashioned Chocolate Cake

Ingredients

For the cake
200g (8 oz) plain flour
200g (8 tbsp) caster sugar
5ml (1 tsp) baking powder
2.5ml (½ tsp) bicarbonate of soda
40g (1½ oz) best-quality cocoa
175g (6 oz) soft unsalted butter
2 large eggs
10ml (2 tsp) real vanilla extract
150ml (¼ pint) sour cream

For the icing
85ml (3 oz) unsalted butter
175g (6 oz) best-quality dark chocolate, broken into pieces
300g (10 oz) icing sugar
15ml (1 tbsp) golden syrup
125ml (4fl oz) sour cream
5ml (1 tsp) vanilla extract

Method

Heat oven to 180°C/fan 160°C/gas 4 and line and butter two 20cm sandwich tins with removable bases.
Cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
Beat the eggs and vanilla essence in.
Sift the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and cocoa.
Mix the flour and sour cream into the mixture, alternating between each addition.
Pour the batter into the prepared tins and bake for about 35 minutes (but start checking at 25 minutes).

To make the icing, melt the butter and chocolate in a heat-proof bowl over a pot of simmering water.
While the chocolate and butter are cooling a little, sieve the icing sugar into another bowl.
Add the golden syrup to the cooled chocolate mixture, followed by the sour cream and vanilla, and then, when all this is combined, whisk in the sieved icing sugar, with the motor running.
When you’ve done, you may need to add a little boiling water, say a teaspoon or so, or more icing sugar. It depends on whether you need the icing to be runnier or thicker; or indeed it may be right as it is. It should be liquid enough to coat easily, but thick enough not to drip off.

How to ice the cake
Choose your cake stand or plate and cut out four strips of baking parchment to form a square outline on it (this stops the icing running onto the plate). Then sit one of the cakes, uppermost (i.e. slightly domed) side down. Spoon about a third of the icing onto the centre of the cake half and spread with a knife or spatula until you cover the top of it evenly. Sit the other cake on top, normal way up, pressing gently to sandwich the two together. Spoon another third of the icing onto the top of the cake and spread it in a swirly, textured way (though you can go for a smooth finish if you prefer, and have the patience). Spread the sides of the cake with the remaining icing and leave a few minutes till set, then carefully pull away the paper strips.

chocolate cake #1 - quick and easy

I've been on a bit of a mini mission to find a good chocolate cake recipe. I say mini, because it's something that sits in the back of my mind, rather than an overwhelming desire to go out and find a fantastic chocolate cake recipe, and hence bake one. I stumbled upon this during my usual browse through the smh website, and the 'everyday chocolate cake' recipe really is a quick and easy recipe if you're after a good chocolate cake. It's not overly moist, nor is it dry; it's not a dense cake but more of a light and fluffy cake. If this is the type of chocolate cake you're after, then this is the recipe for you!

Everyday chocolate cake

Ingredients
150 g dark bitter chocolate
125 g butter
3 eggs
150 g sugar
150 g self-raising flour, sifted
half tsp vanilla extract

Method
Heat the oven to 180C. Lightly butter a 20 x 10 cm loaf tin.
Break the chocolate into pieces. Combine the chocolate and butter in a heat-proof bowl fitted snugly over a pot of gently simmering water, stirring until smooth. Remove from the heat.
Beat the eggs and sugar together with an electric mixer until pale, thick and creamy, about 5 minutes.
Lightly fold in the sifted flour, vanilla extract, and the slightly cooled chocolate.
Pour into the tin and bake for 40 minutes or until an inserted skewer comes out clean. Cool in the tin for 10 minutes, then turn out and cool completely.

another madeira cake?

I just found this recipe. It looks delightfully promising - so I thought I'd post it here as a reminder to myself to try it one day (perhaps soon...)