Chocolate Cake

This past weekend it was my Dad’s birthday,  one that was kind of a big deal.  Sad to not be in Sydney to help celebrate, I thought I must make a cake in his honour and if I must enjoy his slice as well as mine, so be it.  And if he is not here, it is my duty to continue to straighten the uneven lines of the cake…. and being the perfectionist that I strive to be (hmmm) I must keep going until the cut line is ruler straight…

2 days later it was my father in law’s birthday, so I also had to have his piece for him.  It would be rude not to.

I realise the last recipe post was in May and yes it was a very decadent chocolate cake.  And now this post is another chocolate cake!! But it’s very different, the kind that needs a smidge more effort and is well worth it!! It’s a traditional kind of proper cake that you can get stuck into a decent slice with yummy chocolate icing and both the cake and icing have melted chocolate incorporated into it, so you know it’s the proper kind!!

I think what makes the cake so light and moist is the 4 eggs and the added milk to create a light batter, as it’s a fairly straight forward cake making process, but the results are pretty great.  It has no fancy name and it doesn’t need it, it’s just one excellent Chocolate Cake.  The recipe is directly from a Delicious cook book by Valli Little called Home Cooking, a bit of a winner of a book, and this cake is no exception.

I think it’s a perfect weekend cake, birthday or any other celebration cake that will please a crowd.  And being in my last weeks of pregnancy, it’s always going to make me happy!

Happy Birthday Dad!! xxx

Chocolate Cake

Serves 10-12 people

Pre heat oven to 180 degrees celcius (I now have an electric oven)

Grease and line a 24cm springform cake tin with baking powder

Ingredients

• 200g dark chocolate, chopped
• 200g plain flour
• 2 tablespoons cocoa powder (use the good stuff)
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon bicarbonate soda
• pinch of salt
• 225g softened butter
• 1 cup caster sugar
• 4 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract / vanilla bean paste
• 1/2 cup milk

Chocolate Icing*

• 125g dark chocolate chopped
• 200g unsalted softened butter
• 175g icing sugar, sifted

*I halved the original recipe and was still left with extra.

To Make Cake

1. Melt chocolate in a bowl over a saucepan of simmering water.  Make sure the water in pan does not touch the bowl above.  Set bowl of chocolate aside to cool slightly.
2. Sift flour, cocoa, baking powder, bicarbonate soda and a pinch of salt into a bowl.
3. With an electric mixer, beat the butter and sugar until very pale, about 5 minutes.
4. Add the eggs one at a time, until incorporated, remembering to scrape the sides a few times to make sure all the mixture is combined.
5. Add the slightly cooled chocolate and vanilla and mix until a smooth chocolatey consistency – you will know!! Try not to be tempted to eat it all!
6. Fold the dry ingredients into the wet batter until well mixed, then stir through the milk to lighten the batter.
7. Pour into cake tin, smooth the top out and bake for 45-50 minutes until a skewer comes out clean.
8. Take out of oven, rest for 10 minutes before taking cake out of tin to cool completely before icing.

To Make Icing

1. Again stir the chocolate until melted over a simmering saucepan of hot water on the stove.  Set aside bowl to cool.
2. Beat butter and icing sugar in a bowl with electric mixer until very pale and fluffy, about 5 or so minutes (be careful when you start off as the icing sugar will fly everywhere if you start off too fast).
3. Carefully fold the melted cooled chocolate into the icing until well combined.
4. Spread icing liberally over the entire cooled cake and enjoy!

P S – For variety you could try adding flavours such as 1 tablespoon of coffee or liqueur of your preference (such as hazelnut or orange flavour).