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Original poster

Very important question about chocolate cake

142 replies

SeventhRaccoon · 02/05/2021 22:34

I'm having a debate with DH about the standard way to ice an ordinary chocolate cake. When you make one (talking normal weekend or bake sale type baking here rather than once a year Bake Off style efforts) do you:

Ice it with buttercream icing
Ice it with water icing (think that's what it's called? - icing sugar and cocoa mixed together with hot water)
Ice it with melted chocolate
Ice it with a packet mix (Betty Crocker or similar)
Spread it with whipped cream
Ice it with something completely different (in which case please explain what you use!)
Not ice it at all?

OP posts:
SallySycamore · 03/05/2021 00:01

Oh, I make my buttercream with drinking chocolate and a bit of coffee. And put a thin layer of apricot jam in the middle too.

SallyMcNally · 03/05/2021 00:02

Mary Berry's chocolate fudge icing all the way

Eyesofdisarray · 03/05/2021 00:06

Ganache!!!!😋
Or melted chocolate 😋

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Topbird29 · 03/05/2021 00:09

Raspberry jam in middle, and chpc fudge icing....

Topbird29 · 03/05/2021 00:09

Choc fudge...

BindTheWobbinUp · 03/05/2021 00:10

Chocolate buttercream in the middle and on top, then grated mint aero and crumbled up flake on top.

ThanksForAllTheFish · 03/05/2021 00:16

Buttercream but with cocoa powder mixed in. Makes it taste more like a chocolate fudge cake which is heavenly.

Gingernaut · 03/05/2021 00:17

Cake?

You're meant to make a cake?

You don't just eat the batter out of the bowl?

hilariousnamehere · 03/05/2021 00:22

Now I just want all the cake.

I use buttercream if I have time, and chocolate spread if I don't - whichever one appeals at the time! I'm quite fond of Cadbury crunchie chocolate spread on cakes

Cakeofdoom · 03/05/2021 00:47

Ganache and black cherry conserve filling, fresh cream piped swirls on the top decorated with fresh cherries and grated dark chocolate - an easy black forest style cake - even nicer with some Kirsch liquer drizzled through the chocolate sponge.

Poppins2016 · 03/05/2021 00:51

I grew up icing chocolate cakes with chocolate buttercream. I now ice them with ganache.

Water icing is nice on a vanilla sponge cup cake but I feel it has no place (even if flavoured) near a chocolate cake!

Ireallymustgotobed · 03/05/2021 00:54

Buttercream or chocolate fudge sauce (butter, milk, icing sugar, cocoa and chocolate melted to pouring consistency and poured liberally over top to drip down sides. I use the same sauce for profiteroles.

whereislittleroo · 03/05/2021 00:54

Water icing unless it's for a special occasion and then it's chocolate buttercream.

maybelou · 03/05/2021 00:57

All chocolate cakes are 'iced' with nutella in this house Grin

TaraR2020 · 03/05/2021 01:00

Oh never underestimate a beautifully iced cake finished with water icing! The crunch and sweetness as you bite in is delicious and it can be the perfect compliment to a very rich cake.

Chocolate fairy cakes, I would usually ice with water icing or ganache.

Full size cake, I would ice with ganache and buttercream.

NowWhatUsernameShallIHave · 03/05/2021 01:07

ganache
1:2 Double cream:chocolate

NoLeafClover · 03/05/2021 01:28

Blackcurrant jam and whipped cream in the middle, nothing on top. Seems I'm alone on that one though Grin.

I do however despise buttercream, ganache, Nutella etc. So I accept that I might be a bit abnormal when it comes to cake preferences Grin.

TaraR2020 · 03/05/2021 01:31

@NoLeafClover I love blackcurrant jam and I always put whipped cream in sponges - why haven't I thought about putting both in a chocolate cake??

It's all im going to be able to think about now!

MarkRuffaloCrumble · 03/05/2021 01:34

@BackforGood to make ganache I use 300g of chocolate to 100ml of single cream for a firmer ganache inside a cake. Would use less chocolate for a softer set or to make a drip effect.

NoLeafClover · 03/05/2021 01:35

Oh you need to try it so, @TaraR2020, I promise you won't regret it!

TaraR2020 · 03/05/2021 01:38

@NoLeafClover my mouth is watering just thinking about it! 😄

Ginandplatonic · 03/05/2021 01:46

You can buy packet icing?? I didn’t know you could. Maybe it’s different in Australia. Anyway.

I use chocolate buttercream on top with raspberry jam in the middle. Or if I give in to the pleading of my children (I usually don’t because they are wrong) raspberry jam and whipped cream in the middle.

I’m going to have to make a chocolate cake now...

NoLeafClover · 03/05/2021 01:54

Yay, @TaraR2020, I've converted someone Grin. It has to be a nice light chocolate sponge cake I think, not a really rich chocolate-y one, if that makes sense? Well it doesn't have to be, the cake police probably wouldn't come blazing up to your door... Wink But the combination of blackcurrant jam and whipped cream just seems to work so well with a lovely light chocolate sponge.

QueenPaw · 03/05/2021 02:02

Buttercream
Only because my mum used to make one which had melted Mars bars in the middle with whipped cream and buttercream on top. Most sickly cake ever but SO good
I'm 36 and still not allowed the recipe HmmGrin

Nat6999 · 03/05/2021 02:10

Chocolate buttercream in between & if you want to feel really sickly put it on tip as well, or white chocolate buttercream for contrast & then curls of milk or dark chocolate to finish off.