No matter how old I become, I will always be my Daddy's little girl. My friends and my family would agree on this I am sure. Today as my dad turns a year wiser, me and my family, we wish him a lot & lot more years of health & happiness. This cake (post) is for my achan (dad) who is one of the most important person on Earth for me. This is a heavenly moist and fudgy chocolate cake, just for my dad wishing him a perfect chocolaty Happy birthday. Friends let me share the ultimate chocolate cake recipe and I am certain you will make some lucky person very happy whether its their birthday or not. Any excuse goes for a creamy sumptuous chocolaty treat and I hope you enjoy your excuse!!!
Ultimate chocolate cake
Recipe fully adapted from BBC good food
Ingredients:
200 g good quality dark chocolate , about 60% cocoa solids ( I used 54%)
200 g butter, unsalted
1 Tbsp instant coffee granules
85 g self-raising flour
85 g plain flour
1⁄4 tsp bicarbonate of soda
200 g light muscovado sugar
200 g golden caster sugar
25 g cocoa powder
3 medium eggs
75 ml buttermilk (5 tbsp)
grated chocolate or curls, to decorate cake
FOR THE GANACHE
200 g good quality dark chocolate, about 60% cocoa solids ( I used 54%)
284 ml pot double cream
2 Tbsp golden caster sugar
Method:
- Butter and line a 20 cm round cake tin (7.5 cm deep).
- Preheat the oven to 160 C/ 140 C fan/ gas 3.
- Break 200 g good quality dark chocolate into pieces and transfer them into a heavy-bottomed pan. Also cut 200 g butter into pieces and tip it in with the chocolate pieces. Mix 1 Tbsp of instant coffee granules in 125 ml cold water and pour into the pan. Warm through over a low heat just until everything is melted. Ensure that you do not overheat the mixture. Alternately you can melt the same in the microwave on a Medium for about 5 minutes, stirring half way through.
- Meanwhile add all the dry ingredients; 85 g self-raising flour, 85 g plain flour, ¼ tsp bicarbonate of soda, 200 g light muscovado sugar, 200 g golden caster sugar and 25 g cocoa powder into a large bowl and mix everything with your hands to get rid of any lumps.
- Beat 3 medium eggs in another small bowl and stir in 75 ml buttermilk.
- Now pour the melted chocolate mixture and the egg mixture into the flour mixture, stirring just until everything is well combined and you have a smooth but quite runny consistency for your batter. Pour batter into the tin and bake for 1 hour 25 mins - 1 hour 30 minutes. If you insert a skewer in the centre of cake, it should come out clean and the top should feel firm (don't worry if it cracks and dips a bit).
- Leave to cool in the tin, then cool it completely on the wire rack.
- Once the cake is cooled completely, cut it horizontally into three layers.
- Now to make the ganache; break 200 g good quality dark chocolate into smaller pieces and transfer into a mixing bowl.
- Pour 284 ml of double cream into a pan along with 2 Tbsp golden caster sugar, and heat until it is about to boil.
- Take it off the heat and pour it over the chocolate. Stir until the chocolate has melted and the mixture is of smooth consistency.
- Sandwich the layers together with just a little of the ganache. Then pour the rest of the ganache over the cake letting it fall down the sides. Smoothen further with a palette knife.
- Decorate the cake with the grated chocolate or the pile of chocolate curls.
Notes : The cake keeps moist and gooey for 3-4 days. I had used two 20 cm round cake tins (around 3.5 cm deep) and also reduced the baking time to around 1 hour 10 mins - 1 hour 15 mins. Instead of buttermilk, I substituted with 4 Tbsp of Yogurt and 1 Tbsp of diluted vinegar.
♥ Thank you ♥
