Cakes are an easier feat than most pastries, pies and tarts when it comes to home baking, but the chocolatey kind is an exception.
Mastering the rich cocoa flavour is difficult to do while ensuring a moist texture, though one baking expert claims to have a solution.
Sharing her recipe for a “light and moist” chocolate cake that refuses to skimp on rich flavour, Rachel Page, founder of the blog ‘Marmalade and Me’, assured that the bake “tastes wonderful” but is also “super easy” to whip up.
The cake, she promises, will stay fresh in an airtight container and provide the perfect base to practice your decorating skills.
What’s more, the recipe calls for just six ingredients and no expensive dark chocolate or organic cacao products. Rachel even shared her go-to frosting recipe which mimics creamy, custard-like French icing thanks to the addition of eggs.
Chocolate cake recipe
Ingredients
275g soft butter or margarine
275g caster sugar
Five eggs
Two tbsp tablespoons of cocoa powder
250g self-raising flour
One tbsp of golden syrup
Icing is optional and easy to make with the following ingredients:
75g 70-percent dark chocolate
Two eggs
50g milk chocolate
75g unsalted butter
450g icing sugar
One teaspoon of vanilla extract
One tablespoon of cold water
Method
For the perfect layered sponge, two 20cm round tins with detachable bases are recommended, along with some baking paper to line them. Do this by tracing the base of the tins, then cutting out the circles and sticking them to the tins with some butter to help them stick.
Ensure the oven is set to 180C before proceeding with any mixing or whipping.
Measure both the butter and sugar before adding them to a large mixing bowl, then whip until creamed with a fluffy texture. This can be done with an electric mixer, hand whisk or spoon.
Crack the eggs into the sugar and butter mixture, one at a time, then proceed to weigh out the flour and cocoa powder. Sieve the dry ingredients into the bowl and stir thoroughly to combine.
Use a spatula to “clean” the bowl’s edges, ensuring you leave no mixture behind. Next, gently fold in the golden syrup and beat the batter just a bit more, taking care not to overdo it or risk compromising the texture of the sponge.
When the cake batter is ready, evenly distribute it between the two tins and pop them in the oven for 20-25 minutes, or until the cake feels “springy to the touch”. After baking, allow the cakes to cool slightly before loosening the edges with a knife and moving them onto a cooling rack.
For the filling, you can opt for cream or store-bought icing, but Rachel’s recipe for French chocolate frosting is easy to follow. First, melt the dark and milk chocolate then add it to the butter with butter until smooth, then blend in eggs, icing sugar, vanilla extract, and water.
Rachel cautioned: “The icing will be too runny to work with now so let it chill in the fridge until it has thickened a little.” She suggested using a piping bag for an effortlessly professional finish and a sprinkle of chopped chocolate or sprinkles to decorate.
