SAEDNEWS: The Special Chocolate Cake offers home bakers an irresistibly rich chocolate experience, combining simple techniques with deep cocoa flavor to satisfy every sweet tooth.
Chocolate cake is undoubtedly one of the most popular cakes around the world. To ensure your cake is bursting with rich chocolate flavor, you should use block chocolate. Whether you choose ordinary milk or dark block chocolate, both will impart a delightful taste. The dark block chocolate commonly found on the market is typically around 60 percent cocoa, which won’t make the cake overly bitter but will give it a deeper, more decadent cocoa note—truly delicious. So don’t worry about your chocolate cake turning too bitter; if you love cocoa, go ahead and use dark block chocolate.
Naturally, there are many variations of chocolate cake—like molten lava cake or quick chocolate “volcano” cake. In this recipe, you can add several layers of whipped cream between the cake tiers. Techniques for whipping cream or using powdered cream can help you perfect this step.
Place the chopping-block or dark chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of gently simmering water. Stir until fully melted. Remove from the heat, then whisk in the sugar and cocoa powder. Once combined, pour in the lukewarm milk, give it a quick stir, and set aside to cool slightly.
Crack the eggs into a separate bowl and beat with an electric mixer until foamy. Gradually pour the cooled chocolate mixture into the eggs, whisking gently until smooth. Sift in the baking powder and salt, then continue to whisk until the batter is uniform.
Sift the flour over the batter in three additions. Using a spoon, fold it in with gentle, circular motions in one direction until just blended—do not overmix. Transfer the batter to a clean bowl, cover with cling film, and let rest in a warm place for 2 hours.
Line the base of a cake tin with baking paper and grease the sides. Preheat your oven to 180 °C. Pour the rested batter into the tin and bake for 45–60 minutes, checking at 45 minutes by inserting a skewer or knife; if it comes out clean, the cake is done.
Remove the cake from the oven and allow to cool slightly before unmolding. Slice horizontally into two or three layers. Between the layers, spread whipped cream, chocolate sauce, or chocolate-flavored cream as desired. To finish, top with chocolate ganache or sprinkle with chopped chocolate.
Ingredient | Quantity |
|---|---|
flour | 2 cups |
Sugar | 1 cup |
Cocoa powder | 10 tablespoons |
Butter | 100 g |
Lukewarm milk | ½ cup |
Eggs | 4 |
Dark or milk chocolate | 100 g |
Baking powder | 1 teaspoon |
Salt | ¼ teaspoon |
