Chocolate Cake

Photo: Chocolate Cake

TOTAL TIME: 2 hr 5 min
Prep: 40 min
Inactive Prep: 1 hr
Cook: 25 min
 
YIELD: 6 servings
LEVEL: Intermediate

ingredients

  • For the cake
  • 10 tablespoons butter, softened, plus more for greasing
  • 7 ounces all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
  • 4 1/2 ounces dark chocolate
  • 3 tablespoons milk
  • 5 ounces caster sugar (superfine)
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 tablespoon cocoa powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda (baking soda)
  • Cocoa powder or icing sugar (confectioners'), for dusting, optional
    • For the chocolate butter icing
    • 6 tablespoons butter, softened
    • 1 tablespoon cream
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
    • 6 ounces icing sugar (confectioners')
    • 1 tablespoon cocoa powder
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    Directions

    This is such a great, simple, yet versatile, chocolate cake. Add the finely grated rind of 1 orange to give the cake a chocolate orange flavor or replace the vanilla extract with 1 tablespoon of instant coffee powder for a mocha flavor. This can also be turned into chocolate cupcakes, if you wish. The recipe will fill 12 paper liners in a cupcake or muffin tray, and will take about 18 to 20 minutes to cook. Ice them generously with the chocolate buttercream and decorate to your heart's content.
    Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter and flour the sides of 2 (8-inch) cake, or sandwich pans, and line the bases with greaseproof or parchment paper.

    In a bowl sitting over a saucepan of gently simmering water, not touching the bottom of the bowl, stir the chocolate and the milk together until the chocolate has melted.

    Beat the 10 tablespoons butter until very soft, and then add the sugar and continue to beat until the mixture is light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, 1 at a time, and then fold in the melted chocolate.

    Sift in the 7 ounces flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and the baking soda, and fold in gently to mix. Divide the mixture evenly between the 2 pans, and bake in the oven until a skewer inserted into the middle of each cake comes out clean, about 25 minutes.

    Remove the cakes from the oven and let sit for a few minutes before turning them out of their pans, and placing them on a wire rack to cool.

    To make the chocolate butter icing: Beat the butter, cream and the vanilla extract until very soft. Then gradually sift in the confectioners' sugar, and the cocoa powder, beating constantly, until it is all added. Continue to beat until very soft, and then whisk the mixture until it is light and fluffy. Cook's Note: I normally make the chocolate butter icing in an electric food mixer, using the whisk attachment all the way through.

    Once the cakes are cool, sandwich them together. Cook's Note: I normally sandwich them together bottom to bottom - if you know what I mean!) with the chocolate butter icing. Place the cake on a plate, or on a cake stand, and dust with cocoa powder or confectioners' sugar, if you wish.

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    4

    Newest Ratings and Reviews

    Read all 4 reviews

    • on August 15, 2012

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      Great Recipe, Easy to make

      people found this review Helpful.
      Was this review helpful to you? Yes | No

    • on September 01, 2011

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      I wasn't sure if I should measure out the dry ingredients (e.g., 7 ounces of flour in a measuring cup or use a scale, and I guess I did something wrong because the recipe didn't work for me.

      people found this review Helpful.
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    • on August 08, 2011

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      Totally yums....my family fav now.

      people found this review Helpful.
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