Chocolate cake

Chocolate cake

45 min
This incredible chocolate cake is truly a chocolate lover’s dream! Deliciously creamy, it also has beautiful presentation power thanks to the glossy ganache. For the best result, bake the chocolate cake the day before it is served. Serve with fluffy cream and fresh berries.
https://www.arlafoods.co.uk/recipes/chocolate-cake/

Instructions

Chocolate cake
  • Heat the oven to 200°C.
  • Put baking paper on the bottom of a cake mould with removable sides, around 22 cm in diameter, and grease the sides.
  • Melt the butter in a pan and remove from the heat. Add the chocolate and mix until it melts.
  • Whisk the eggs with sugar until fluffy.
  • Sift the flour, add the salt and mix into the egg mixture, turning with a spatula.
  • Carefully add the chocolate butter and mix to create a smooth batter. Pour the batter into the mould and bake in the middle of the oven for around 17 minutes.
  • Allow the cake to cool in the mould, then let it stand in a refrigerator for around an hour, before topping with the ganache.
Ganache
  • Heat the butter and cream in a pot. Remove from the heat and add the chocolate, stirring until it creates a smooth chocolate cream.
  • Spread the ganache on the chocolate cake. Serve with lightly whipped cream and fresh berries.
Enjoy!

Chocolate cake

Why is my chocolate cake dry?
Pay attention to the ratios and weights of ingredients and make sure your follow the recipe: too much flour or too little fat will increase the risk of dry cake. Baking the cake for too long is also a culprit for dry results, so keep an eye on the clock.
What does adding coffee to chocolate cake do?
Many bakers regard coffee as the secret ingredient in the most intense chocolatey of all chocolate cakes. A little goes a long way and too much could change the flavour profile from pure chocolate to a distinct chocolate-coffee combination. A teaspoon of coffee powder, added while mixing the dry ingredients, should do the trick.
Why doesn’t my chocolate cake taste like chocolate?
Poor quality chocolate is one common reason for a lack of flavour, so try swapping for a more cocoa-rich brand. The coffee trick, as well as a touch more salt, can also help to increase the chocolatey flavour.

Ingredients

Chocolate cake
Butter
200 g
Dark chocolate, chopped
200 g
Eggs
4
Icing sugar
100 g
Flour
120 g
Salt
1 pinch
Ganache
Butter
50 g
Double cream
100 ml
Dark chocolate, chopped
150 g
Serve with
Double cream
200 ml
Mixed fresh berries

The ultimate crowd pleaser

Chocolate cake is a universal favourite these days but the concept of adding chocolate to a western-style cake mixture only started in the mid-17th century when cocoa from the Americas was more commonly available in Europe. Over the years, the process has been refined and adapted to create hundreds of different variations.

Using chocolate cake for cake creations

It’s difficult to find anyone who doesn’t like chocolate cake, making it a particularly useful component for more complex creations. Use it as everyone’s favourite layer of a multi-tiered cake, or adapt the recipe to add more traditional icing and create a deliciously chocolatey wedding cake.

Fun and delicious chocolate cake decoration ideas

Our recipe uses ganache but that’s only one of many ways to decorate the chocolate cake. A simple alternative is to use icing sugar, or a basic buttercream frosting. The extreme chocolate lovers can try spreading Nutella on top and add chopped nuts for an even more indulgent variation.

How best to store leftover cake

It’s important to store the cake in an airtight container in a cool, dry place. That way it should last for up to a week.