The ultimate chocolate cake

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Dark and indulgent, this chocolate cake from Good Food magazine's Angela Nilsen is deliciously addictive

Ingredients

  • 200g dark chocolate, about 60% cocoa solids
  • 200g Butter, cut in pieces
  • 1 tbsp instant coffee
  • 85g self-raising flour
  • 85g plain flour
  • 0.25 tsp Bicarbonate of soda
  • 200g lightlight muscovado sugar
  • 200g golden caster sugar
  • 25g Cocoa powder
  • 3 medium Eggs
  • 75ml Buttermilk
  • 1 handful chocolate curls, or grated chocolate, to decorate

For the ganache

  • 200g dark chocolate, about 60% cocoa solids, as above
  • 284ml double cream, (pouring type)
  • 2 tbsp golden caster sugar
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Method

1. Butter a 20cm round cake tin (7.5cm deep) and line the base. Preheat the oven to 160°C/gas 3. Break the chocolate in pieces into a medium, heavy-based pan. Tip in the butter, then mix the coffee granules into 125ml cold water and pour into the pan. Warm through over a low heat just until everything is melted - don't overheat. Or melt in the microwave on medium about 5 minutes, stirring half way through.


2. While the chocolate is melting, mix the two flours, bicarbonate of soda, sugars and cocoa in a big bowl, mixing with your hands to get rid of any lumps. Beat the eggs in a bowl and stir in the buttermilk.


3. Now pour the melted chocolate mixture and the egg mixture into the flour mixture, stirring just until everything is well blended and you have a smooth, quite runny consistency. Pour this into the tin and bake for 1 hour 25 minutes to 1 hour 30 minutes - if you push a skewer in the centre it should come out clean and the top should feel firm (don't worry if it cracks a bit). Leave to cool in the tin (don't worry if it dips slightly), then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.


4. When the cake is cold, cut it horizontally into three. Make the ganache: chop the chocolate into small pieces and tip into a bowl. Pour the cream into a pan, add the sugar, and heat until it is about to boil. Take off the heat and pour it over the chocolate. Stir until the chocolate has melted and the mixture is smooth.


5. Sandwich the layers together with just a little of the ganache. Pour the rest over the cake letting it fall down the sides and smoothing to cover with a palette knife. Decorate with grated chocolate or a pile of chocolate curls. The cake keeps moist and gooey for 3-4 days.

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Latest Comment

View all comments (5)

I have made this cake many times and it is always very well received. Everyone loves this cake, i love to makeit, my friends and family love to eat it.

obii obii Posted 28 Aug 2009 6:39 PM
 

this is the chocolate cake i make for those occasions when only the best will do... angela nilsons other cake recipes are fab too.

charlotteL75843 charlotteL75843 Posted 28 Nov 2008 11:28 AM
 

This is so easy to make!! if you're a chocolate lover you will love this cake! so rich..best served with some whipped double cream for maximum pleasure.

Sharflan Sharflan Posted 14 Oct 2008 2:13 PM
 

Buttermilk can be found in most supermarkets - in with the creams. I got mine from Asda but you can get it from them all, I think! This is a super cake and definitely one I will be making over and over again.

samuelle samuelle Posted 04 Oct 2008 12:49 PM
 

I would like to make this cake can someone tell me where i can get the butter milk from and if it is a supermarket, which one!

sue391 sue391 Posted 23 Sep 2008 2:07 PM