The finished cake that I made using this recipe.
This is a lovely recipe, the cake is lighter than a mud cake but denser than a sponge cake, it is moist and rich. It is great to make tiered cakes as well as carved cakes. Delicious on its own or with a filling.
Chocolate cake
This recipe will make a 20cm/8in round cake (3in high).
275g/10oz plain chocolate (good quality with a cocoa solids content of around 50%)
225g/8oz unsalted butter
150g/5oz caster sugar
8 large eggs - separated
50g/2oz icing sugar
215g self-raising flour and 10g cocoa OR(recipe stated 225g/8oz self-raising flour)
Preheat oven 160 deg C (recipe stated 180 deg C but I found that this was too high)
Prepare baking tin - grease and line tin with baking paper (the baking paper should extend about 2cm above the tin). Wrap a double layer of newspaper or brown paper tightly around the tin and secure with string. (This slows the baking down so that the outer layer of cake doesn't over cook)
Melt the chocolate in the microwave (being careful not to burn it).
Cream the butter and caster sugar until light and fluffy.
Add the egg yolks gradually to the creamed butter, then add the melted chocolate to this mixture.
In a separate bowl whisk the egg whites until they form soft peaks, then gradually whisk in the icing sugar.
Sift the flour and cocoa and using a large metal spoon fold the flour alternatively with the egg whites into the chocolate mixture.
Pour the mixture into the lined baking tin and bake for 1hour - check the cake - it should be well risen, firm and a skewer inserted into the center should come out clean - bake for an additional 15 - 30 minutes if it is not ready.
TIP - During baking cover the top of the cake once the crust has formed with a double piece of baking paper to prevent the top from over cooking. Depending on how your oven bakes, you can place a double piece of newspaper under the tin before baking.
Leave cake to cool completely in the tin, remove and wrap in plastic wrap or foil and leave for about 12 hours to allow the cake to settle.
This cake will last for about two weeks (only if it is hidden well)
Decorate and fill cake as desired.
I made a chocolate buttercream and mixed in some crushed Tim Tam biscuits, filled the cake and then covered it in a chocolate ganache, before decorating it.
