Chocolate Cake

[GloiredeDijon]

Please tell me your best ever chocolate cake recipes.

I am planning a chocolate birthday cake and looking for recommendations.

Th bbc good food chocolate fudge cake is delicious
https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/naughty-chocolate-fudge-cake

@Hobsonschoiceofhob interesting that it uses sunflower oil. I remember a devil’s food cake recipe I made years ago using sunflower oil and it was very nice but tasted more insubstantial than normal chocolate cake.
Maybe this is a hybrid?

I’ve found recipes that use coco powder instead of melted chocolate make a much better cake: The melted chocolate ones always taste a bit dry to me.

Try this one:

For the cake:

250g plain flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
100g good plain chocolate (minimum 70% cocoa)
3 tablespoons cocoa powder
100ml very hot water (not boiling)
175g unsalted butter
250g caster sugar
3 large eggs
200ml plain yoghurt

For the chocolate fudge icing:

100ml double cream
50g good milk chocolate
50g dark chocolate (minimum 70% cocoa)

For the cake:

1. Preheat the oven to 160C (325F or gas mark 3)
2. Grease and line the inside of the cake tin
3. In a bowl, put the flour, baking powder and bicarbonate of soda together. Put to one side.
4. Break up the plain chocolate and put in a heatproof bowl. Add the cocoa powder. Pour the hot water over and let stand for a minute. Mix together with a fork or small whisk until smooth and melted. Put to one side.
5. Put the butter and sugar in a large bowl and beat until fluffy with an electric whisk.
6. Gradually add the eggs and beat well.
7. Pour the melted chocolate and cocoa powder mixture into the bowl. Add the yoghurt and flour mixture and mix well.
8. Pour the mixture into the prepared cake tin and spread evenly so it is smooth. Put into the preheated oven and bake for 55 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean. The top of the cake may crack. Don’t worry about it. Leave to cool.

For the chocolate fudge icing:

1. Break the chocolate up and put into a heatproof bowl.
2. Put the cream into the saucepan. Heat until hot but not boiling. Pour over the chocolate and let stand for a minute, then stir until smooth and all the chocolate has melted.
3. Spread the icing over the top and sides of the cake until it’s all covered. Allow the icing to cool until it is firm. Keep in an airtight container and eat within five days.

Notes:

You can make as much chocolate fudge sauce as you like, using the ratio of 100ml cream to 100g chocolate.

I use half dark chocolate to half milk chocolate, but it depends how dark or milky you like your chocolate. Adjust to taste.

You can split the cake mixture into two cake sandwich tins. Cook for the same amount of time.

I find the sauce too runny to do anything with as soon as I’ve made it. I chill it until solid, then warm it up over a baine marie until it’s runny enough to spread, but still thick enough to stay where I put it.

If you split the mixture so you have two halves to sandwich together, once the cakes have cooled, turn them out upside down and pour some chocolate icing over them so the hot icing soaks into the sponge. Allow to cool, then decorate.

If you can bear to, leave it in a airtight container until then next day before eating. It really is worth it!

@PsychoSyd thank you!