How To Make Ultimate Chocolate Cake?
Prep Time: 35 mins
Cook Time:1 hr
Total Time: 1Hr. 35Min.
Ingredients
For the chocolate cake
- 200g dark chocolate (about 60% cocoa solids), chopped
- 200g butter, cubed
- 1 tbsp instant coffee granules
- 3 medium eggs
- 50g grated chocolate
- 100g curls, to decorate
- 85g self-raising flour
- 85g plain flour
- ¼ tsp bicarbonate of soda
- 200g light muscovado sugar
- 200g golden caster sugar
- 25g cocoa powder
- 75ml buttermilk
For the ganache
- 200g dark chocolate (about 60% cocoa solids), chopped
- 300ml double cream
- 2 tbsp golden caster sugar
Directions
STEP 1: Preheat the oven to 160C/fan 140C/gas 3. Butter and line a 20cm round cake tin (7.5cm deep).
STEP 2: Place 200g chopped dark chocolate in a medium saucepan with 200g butter.
STEP 3: stir 1 tablespoon of instant coffee granules into 125 ml cold water and pour into the pan.
STEP 4: Heat over low heat until everything is melted – do not overheat. Or melt in the microwave for about 5 minutes, stirring halfway through.
STEP 5: mix 85 g baking flour, 85 g plain flour, ¼ teaspoon baking fizzy drink, 200 g light muscovado sugar, 200 g golden caster sugar, and 25 g cocoa powder and squeeze out all the lumps.
STEP 6: whisk 3 medium eggs with 75 ml buttermilk.
STEP 7: Add the melted chocolate mixture and egg mixture to the flour mixture and mix until smooth and fairly runny.
STEP 8: Pour the batter into the pan and bake for 1 hour 25 to 1 hour 30 minutes. When you insert a skewer into the center, it should come out clean and the top should feel firm to the touch (do not worry if it cracks a little).
STEP 9: Let the cake cool in the pan (do not worry if it gives slightly), then turn it out onto a wire rack to cool completely. Cut the cold cake horizontally into three pieces.
STEP 10: For the ganache, place 200 g of chopped dark chocolate in a bowl. pour 300 ml heavy cream into a saucepan, add 2 tablespoons of golden caster sugar, and heat until the mixture starts to boil.
STEP 11: Remove the saucepan from the heat and pour the cream over the chocolate. Stir until the chocolate has melted and the mixture is smooth. Let cool until the mixture is slightly thicker but still pourable.
STEP 12: Assemble the layers with a small portion of the ganache. Pour the remaining ganache over the cake so that it falls down the sides, smoothing out any gaps with a spatula.
STEP 13: Decorate with 50 g grated chocolate or 100 g chocolate curls. The cake will keep moist and sticky for 3-4 days.
