Chocolate cake for birthday

[hholiday]

i’d like to bake a really lovely, michael Rosen-style chocolate cake for my nine year old son’s birthday, with crackly icing and ganache - the works. I’d like to decorate it with choc truffles. Any recipe suggestions, please let me know! I want chocolate smears all over our mouths after every bite - that kind of recipe please!

I don't have a recipe but you might look at chocolate torte. They are gooey. Or Roald Dahl Bruce Bogtrotter cake.

(Unfortunately the request is for coffee or lemon cake in this house, so no recipes for you).

Happy birthday to your DS when the day comes!

https://addapinch.com/the-best-chocolate-cake-recipe-ever/

or

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

I'm not sure what you mean by crackly icing and ganache, ganache will be a softish icing? Not sure how that combines with a crunchy one.
Oh. Or do you mean filled with ganach but a thin chocolate coating type icing over the top/outside?
Either way- I've made Paul Hollywood's devil's food cake a few times and it was amazing and pretty easy.
You'd probably need to find another recipe to get the icing you like.

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

this looks very similar to the recipe I use except mine has sour cream instead of buttermilk, but much the same effect I imagine. Its lush!!

But tbh my family prefer a Betty Crocker mix as its so light and fluffy, and its so much easier and cheaper to make too! You could still make your own icing and ganache, as the ready made icing ruins it for me, plus you’d then feel less like you’re cheating! But honestly, save yourself the trouble and expense of all those ingredients

BTW i know a local cake maker who gets high praise for her cakes - guess which of the above she uses!

I do this one for special occasions butternutbakeryblog.com/brownie-cake/

I use Nigella Easter cake for birthdays - it's very rich and the ganache on the top is absolutely lush. But it's the opposite of light. You will have chocolate on your face when you eat it though!

Sorry forgot the link www.nigella.com/recipes/easter-egg-nest-cake

I often do Mary Berry's chocolate cake with milk chocolate ganache icing and it is beautiful, might be what you're after. She decorates it with white chocolate webbing but I never bother with that bit and usually do hundreds and thousands instead.

Thank you for all these ideas! Yes, sorry, I do mean a ganache filling and crackly icing on top (like the michael Rosen poem… I should maybe ask his mum what recipe she used 😆) Thanks all - I will have a look at all of these. I live Nigella and Mary B… I can’t think how I haven’t come across these recipes before

This looks amazing - thank you

Wow!! Ok, now I am thinking he might need two birthday cakes 😂

Thank you - this one looks great too. I love the idea of adding coconut oil and the icing looks yummy

I'd also recommend the Nigella recipe, it's delicious. The other recipe I'd recommend is the tin eats one, it's an easy and foolproof cake, moist and fudgey.
https://www.recipetineats.com/easy-chocolate-fudge-cake/

This one is amazing! Can decorate how you like but the actual chocolate cake and icing are amazing! www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/easy-chocolate-cake