Chocolate cake recipe help please!

[PrettyLittleBrownEyedMe]

I have promised to make a cake for someone and would like to make a multi-layer chocolate cake. I'm thinking of doing this recipe:

225g plain choc
125g butter
350g caster
2 eggs
150ml sour cream
350g s-r flour
1 tsp bicarb

but it's for a 10 inch tin which you then cut in thirds horizontally. I haven't got a 10 inch tin, and don't trust myself to slice it well enough anyway.

What do you think would happen if I split the same mix between 3 x 8 inch tins? Or should I adjust the quantities somehow? Any help or suggestions gratefully received - thanks!

[Xiaoxiong]

I'd probably split it just between 2 rather than three, because when they cook they dome up on top and you have to cut the dome off to make it flat to ice and stack. And keep an eagle eye on them, since there will be half as much batter in the pan they will bake through much more quickly.

My instinct is to say bake each tin for 20-30 mins at 160c fan, and then start checking for doneness, but you know your oven best!

[PrettyLittleBrownEyedMe]

That's an excellent point about the doming, thank you!

[okiedokieme]

It's a very different proportion to the recipe I use - if you have 8inch pans this will work

4oz sr flour
8oz butter/stork
8oz sugar
4 eggs beaten
2oz cocoa
2oz ground almonds (can substitute for flour if nut free needed)
2tbsp amaretto or brandy
1tsp baking powder

Mix until smooth but don't overheat, split between 2 9inch pans bake 18-20 mins at 190(180 fan) gas mark 5
Make chocolate butter cream (dark chocolate, butter, icing sugar for middle and top with ganache (dark chocolate, butter, double cream.

[Bobbiepin]

Hummingbird recipes never fail for me, but if you go with that you'll need to adjust the cooking time rather than the quantity.

[PrettyLittleBrownEyedMe]

Oh, bobbiepin, I have got Hummingbird Home Sweet Home but I didn't think to look at it! I see their vanilla meringue cake might work and it is 3 x 8 inch tins! Don't think I can face doing the marble top though...

[Bobbiepin]

So do a ganache or buttercream top, no need to every part of a recipe just because it's in the book.

[PrettyLittleBrownEyedMe]

Yes, I will - I'm not doing the meringue outside either, but the quantities and type of cake are just what I wanted. Thanks!