Cakes are easier to make than most pastries, pies and tarts when it comes to homemade baking, but the chocolate kind is an exception.
Mastering the rich flavor of cocoa while ensuring a moist texture is difficult to achieve, although one baking expert claims to have a solution.
Sharing her recipe for a “light and fluffy” chocolate cake that refuses to skimp on rich flavours, Rachel Page, founder of the blog ‘Marmalade and Me’, assured that the cake “tastes wonderful” but is also “super easy” to make.
The cake, she promises, will stay fresh in an airtight container and will make the perfect base for practicing your decorating skills.
Plus, the recipe only requires six ingredients and no expensive dark chocolate or organic cocoa products. Rachel even shared her favorite frosting recipe that mimics the creamy, custard-like French frosting with the addition of eggs.
Chocolate Cake Recipe
Ingredients
275 g of soft butter or margarine
275 g caster sugar
Five eggs
Two tablespoons of cocoa powder
250 g of flour with yeast incorporated
A tablespoon of golden syrup
The frosting is optional and easy to make with the following ingredients:
75 g of 70% dark chocolate
Two eggs
50 g milk chocolate
75 g unsalted butter
450 g icing sugar
A teaspoon of vanilla extract
A tablespoon of cold water
Method
For a perfect puff pastry, it is recommended to use two 20 cm round molds with removable bottoms, as well as baking paper to cover them. To do this, trace the bottom of the molds, then cut out the circles and stick them on the molds with a little butter to help them stick.
Make sure the oven is set to 180°C before mixing or whisking.
Measure the butter and sugar before adding them to a large mixing bowl, then beat until creamy and fluffy. You can do this with an electric mixer, a hand whisk or a spoon.
Break the eggs into the sugar and butter mixture, one at a time, then weigh in the flour and cocoa powder. Sift the dry ingredients into the bowl and stir well to combine.
Using a spatula, “clean” the edges of the bowl, making sure not to leave any residue of the preparation. Then gently incorporate the golden syrup and beat the dough a little more, taking care not to overdo it, at the risk of compromising the texture of the biscuit.
When the cake batter is ready, divide it evenly between the two pans and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the cake is “springy to the touch.” After baking, let the cakes cool slightly before loosening the edges with a knife and moving them to a cooling rack.
For the filling, you can opt for cream or store-bought frosting, but Rachel’s recipe for French Chocolate Frosting is easy to follow. First, melt the dark and milk chocolate, then add them to the butter with the butter until smooth, then stir in the eggs, icing sugar, vanilla extract and water.
Rachel warned: “The icing will be too runny to use now, so chill in the fridge until it has thickened a little.” She suggested using a piping bag for an effortless professional finish and a sprinkle of chopped chocolate or sprinkles to decorate.
