I do love a chocolate cake. This particular cake is rich and moist. Not only that but it has a lovely milk chocolate ganache too.
It would be great just as a cake, without ganache. Served too, a dessert, with some custard is another option. But I like it best with the silky smooth milk chocolate ganache.
This is an easy to make cake. Making the ganache is simple too. Then, when both are fully cooled they can be combined to make a perfect cake.
There are several simple steps to the recipe. Keeping everything simple makes it a very good recipe.
The cake uses both dark chocolate and cocoa powder. That gives a lovely rich chocolate flavour.
For my personal preference I made a ganache with milk chocolate. However, for those who prefer it, the ganache can be made with dark chocolate.
Although this is a simple cake it does take some time. I estimate three hours from start to finish.
My Bake
I baked my cake for 26 minutes. Then tested it by pressing the top. That was firm to the touch so I tested with a skewer too. It came out clean. So I knew the cake was fully baked, with some little cracking on the top. That is normal for such cakes and won’t be seen when covered with ganache.
Once the cake was cooled I topped it with the ganache. Then I left it to set up a little before I sliced it and had a taste.
It tasted very good indeed. So flavoursome and very soft too. This is perfect served just as a cake or as a dessert with some whipped cream.
Another chocolate cake is this Rich Chocolate Cake.
Easy Rich Chocolate Cake
Course: Cakes, DessertsDifficulty: Easy8
servings45
minutes30
minutesIngredients
- Cake
225g(1 cup + 2 tbsp) caster sugar
130g(3/4 cup + 2 tbsp, based on scooping packed flour into a 250ml cup) plain flour
3g(1/2 tsp)salt
1 1/2g(3/8 tsp) baking soda
180ml(3/4 cup) milk
170g(6 oz) dark chocolate
56g(1/2 cup) cocoa powder
120ml(1/2 cup) oil
3 medium eggs(large in USA)
5ml(1 tsp) vanilla extract
- Milk Chocolate Ganache
340g(12 oz) milk chocolate
120ml(1/2 cup) double cream
170g(1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, cubed
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 160C/140C Fan/325F.
- Grease and line a 9inch/23cm square cake pan with parchment paper.
- Mix the flour, sugar, baking soda and salt together and set aside.
- Place the milk, dark chocolate and cocoa powder into a saucepan and heat on a low setting, stirring, until the chocolate has melted and the mixture is all fully combined.
- Allow the mixture to cool for 5 minutes then add the oil, vanilla extract and eggs and whisk until fully combined.
- Add the dry mixture and fold in with a spatula until fully combined into a smooth, liquid, batter.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and place in the oven to bake.
- Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until the cake has risen and is firm to the touch on top. A skewer poked into the centre should come out clean, with maybe a crumb or two attached.
- Remove the cake from the oven and place on a rack, in the pan, to cool completely.
- As the cake bakes place the milk chocolate and the cream into a large bowl, onto a pan of gently simmering water, ensuring the water cannot touch the base of the bowl.
- Gently heat the chocolate and cream, stirring, until it is fully melted and nicely combined into a smooth mixture.
- Take the bowl off the heat and add the butter.
- Leave the mixture to sit for 5 minutes, then whisk the softened butter into the chocolate mixture to achieve a lovely thick and smooth ganache.
- Place the ganache in the fridge to cool, for about an hour.
- When the cake is fully cooled take it out of the pan and remove the parchment paper.
- Place the cake on a rack or board.
- Whisk the ganache to loosen it up a little.
- Spread the ganache over the cake and leave to set up a little, then cut and serve.