My chocolate cakes are always shit - pls help

[Corta]

I have tried 4/5 chocolate cake recipes. And they always end up shit. I am a competent cook/don’t bake too often but most things turn out well. I measure out the ingredients. My oven is decent. The cakes always end up a bitter and bland. The Nigella recipe with the sour cream was not eatable.

What chocolate do you use if actual chocolate is required. I buy the good stuff - 70% green and blacks as specified.

Son would like a homemade chocolate cake for his birthday but it’s causing me so much anxiety.

One Dd bucked family tradition of sponge cake for birthday, wanting chocolate and I tried various recipes for years to do her a decent one but always came up short although I’m a very able baker.

Thankfully I finally found this one which is really quick and easy - see video and there’s a downloadable metric recipe. Make sure to use good quality cocoa powder.

I make a 2 tier cake but baking in one tin and then cutting baked cake in half (measurements and timings adjusted accordingly - PM me if you’d like info). I bake sponges like this too so that there is a ‘cut’ rather than baked surface on each half of the cake to soak up the sandwich filling.

Finally, I didn’t use her buttercream frosting although it’s probably very good. I do a mixture of buttercream and ganache for a really chocolatey filling and to cover the cake.

Mix of buttercream and ganache
Buttercream
140g soft butter
50g cocoa powder(sift)
200g icing sugar (sift)
2 tbsp milk
Mix ingredients until creamy

Ganache (Nigella’s recipe)
150ml double cream
150g dark chocolate
2tbsp icing sugar
Add ingredients on hob, whisking when chocolate melting

Combine butter cream and ganache; use very generous layer to sandwich halved cake then rest to cover cake

Have never considered another recipe after this one!

m.youtube.com/watch?v=dsJtgmAhFF4&pp=ygUiTW9zdCBhbWF6aW5nIGNob2NvbGF0ZSBjYWtlIHJlY2lwZQ%3D%3D

This!

Although I find it is sometimes dry so I add oil and/or an extra egg than I would with a Victoria sponge.

alternatively I use a pack of Betty crocker’s devil cake. Never fails but I feel naughty cheating (mum used to professionally make cakes).

I use coco powder to make chocolate cakes. I always make DD one for her birthday. I replace 2oz of the flour for coco powder so I use 4oz flour and 2oz cocci powder. I also add coco powder to the buttercream and icing.

But use Green and Black cocoa powder

What is it that you don't like about the ones you have made so far?

I'm a good Baker but always struggle with a choc cake. Instead I buy the Betty Crocker Devils food Cake Mix and some of her chocolate fudge frosting, then decorated with the persons fave chocolates.

This cake never fails and people are always surprised when I tell them its a Betty Crocker Mix!

Only cocoa powder (good quality) in the cake which is moist but dark chocolate used in the ganache and buttercream mixture adds that extra chocolatey oomph!

Yep this is what I make for my kids and it's never gone wrong yet. The boiling water really helps to stop it drying out. I usually put Nutella in the middle and on the top and then cover it in smarties for birthdays

I don't have a recipe to share, but for a good moist chocolate cake the key ingredients are yoghurt, coffee, cocoa powder, using half oil and either butter or margarine. And some melted chocolate - it doesn't have to be top quality at all. I'd use that alongside a standard sponge recipe.

It's bitter because you're using the 70% stuff. For a sweeter chocolate cake that kids will like, use your standard Victoria sponge recipe, but substitute 2 tbsp of drinking chocolate powder for 1 tbsp of the flour. Sift it with the flour before mixing. If the final mixture seems too dry or stiff, add a very little milk.

I’ve used this recipe many times. It stays moist and fudgy for days x

https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/ultimate-chocolate-cake

I use @tattoonewbie link but melt vegan butter (my favourite is the block naturli) instead of oil. You could also melt ordinary butter instead if not wanting to use oil. (We are multi allergy household so lots of subs) and it's so lovely and really moist and chocolatey. I also bake it in the airfryer

1960s chocolate cake .Featured online under chocolate cakes .uses cocoa powder and evaporated milk .Not really like a gateau ,more of an old fashioned chocolate cake .Comes out well