Chocolate cake

From: The People's Cookbook

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This recipe is classed as intermediate

Avg User rating

3.85 / 5 (62 votes cast)

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Prep time:
20 min, plus 15 mins cooling
Cook time:
1 hr 45 min
Serves:
makes 1 x 20cm cake

An indulgent chocolate cake covered with a chocolate ganache from Jill Brand

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Ingredients

For the chocolate covering

  • 300 ml double cream
  • 400 g dark chocolate, minimum 60% cocoa solids, broken into small pieces
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How does this work?

Close

It's simple.

With just one click, all these ingredients will be put into a basket on mySupermarket.co.uk.

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One thing is for sure though, you are guaranteed to find the best value.

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180ºC / gas 4. Line the base and sides of a 20 cm springform cake tin, with baking parchment.

2. Place the cocoa in a pan and slowly add the boiling water, stirring until smooth. Add the butter and sugar and warm over a low heat until the ingredients have melted together. Remove from the heat and allow the mixture to cool slightly, then gradually add the eggs, beating them in.

3. Sift the flour, bicarbonate of soda and baking powder together and fold into the cocoa mixture. Do this thoroughly until it has an even colour – the mixture will be very sloppy. Pour it into the prepared tin and bake for between 1 hour and 1 hour 45 minutes, until a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean. When the cake is baked, remove it from the oven and allow it to cool in the tin for 15 minutes. Then turn it upside down onto a cooling rack and leave it to cool completely. This will give a level finish to the cake.

4. For the chocolate covering: heat the cream in a pan to boiling point. Remove it from the heat and add the chocolate; stir until it has melted and is blended with the cream. Leave the mixture to cool until it has thickened enough to coat the back of a spoon, then spread over the cake. Put it in the fridge to set before serving.

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Latest Comment

View all comments (36)
 

I have made this cake twice both times delicious. Cooks quicker than one hour though rises a lot too Mine cracked Both times. I did as instructed below Comments re 24cms cake tin ie multiplying ingredients by 1.5 but that made far too much Cake mix dont do it! The recipe is sufficient i think for 24 or 20 cm tin. Doesn't need that much sugar I don't think as the chocolate is very rich. As some comments indicate it the dark chocolate is very rich and perhaps try milk chocolate if you don't fancy too rich cake

DeborahL3169 DeborahL3169  Posted 04 Jun 2012 5:29 PM
 

Hi Dayle: For a 24cm cake tin, you could try this delicious Michael Caines' recipe [link]

Alternatively, you could multiply this recipe by 1.5 (so 120g cocoa, 6 eggs etc), and then bake it for about 2 hours, or until a knife comes out clean when inserted into the middle.

Lisa: Good Food Lisa: Good Food  Posted 05 Apr 2012 5:32 PM
 

I'm wanting to make a 24 cm square cake. would I double the mix? And if so, how long would it take to bake please? Dayle

DayleW79234 DayleW79234  Posted 05 Apr 2012 6:03 AM
 

this cake is delishous and good comfort food

BethanyT32443 BethanyT32443 Posted 27 Mar 2012 12:08 PM
 

Hello Elaine, that usually happens if the oven is too hot. If it's too hot, it will cause the outside of the cake to bake and form a crust too quickly. As the mixture in the center of the cake continued to cook and rise, it burst up through the top of the cake. Maybe lower the temp a bit next time?

Charlotte - Good Food Charlotte - Good Food Posted 20 Dec 2011 3:40 PM
 

i made this cake but can any one tell me why it started to crack on the top while it was bakeing in the oven, it didnt come out even on top instead it had cracks all over the top x

elaineM65860 elaineM65860 Posted 19 Dec 2011 1:41 PM
 

Made this with milk chocolate instead of dark. It was fantastic. Would definitely recommend!!!

chimpsmommy chimpsmommy Posted 03 Oct 2011 6:35 PM
 

Thank you for your suggestions - we'll have to give your milk chocolate tip a go!

Charlotte - Good Food Charlotte - Good Food Posted 04 Jul 2011 3:29 PM
 

It was a good recipe but i think the chocolate ganache would of been better being made with milk chocolate not dark its very rich.
Its also nice made in two seperate thinner cake cases so you can sandwich them together with buttercream, and served with thick double cream x

ourlilprincess ourlilprincess Posted 03 Jul 2011 11:05 AM
 

Love this recipe like others I remove from oven after 1 hour. My last cake was eaten in two days. Making another now on request :-)

sarahM11911 sarahM11911 Posted 08 May 2011 7:07 PM
 

Lovely cake deffo need to cook for less time check after about 40 mins

EmmaC81 EmmaC81 Posted 13 Apr 2011 6:24 PM
 

Have made the cake twice. Ignore the times and check how cooked it is regularly by sticking skewer in the cake. First time it was perfect! 2nd time it was a touch worse but still very good! ideally would rate this a 4.5/5! If you like chocolate cake, this is the way!

FouadE19954 FouadE19954 Posted 06 Apr 2011 1:15 AM
 

Made the cake only and every one commented on how it was the best cake they had ever had. Will be making again.

LyndseyF70666 LyndseyF70666 Posted 02 Apr 2011 6:43 PM
 

Don't believe the cooking times!

MarkT32516 MarkT32516 Posted 06 Feb 2011 10:56 PM
 

hi just wanted to know does it matter if the cake tin is a sqaure or round spring form tin as i have a sqaure 20cm by 20cm.
thanks

sultanaA13547 sultanaA13547 Posted 22 Jan 2011 6:27 PM
 

The cake is easy to make. The covering seemed to go wrong - it seperated and so I poured the grease down the sink and still used it - it set perfectly and tasted great...so my message is is if looks like it's not working, keep going with it!

SamanthaH39645 SamanthaH39645 Posted 12 Nov 2010 1:54 PM
 

5 stars, made this recipe to the letter and everything about it was fantastic. I was a bit reluctant at first to put the ganache on top as it tasted so bitter but after spending a fiver on it did it anyway and it was great. the sweetness of the cake overtakes the bitterness and is much better after being in the fridge. Will definately be making this again.Smile

saraW89271 saraW89271 Posted 11 Nov 2010 11:20 PM
 

The cake is to die for but cooked it for just over an hour. The topping however was a complete and utter, very expensive disaster. The chocolate, which cost me 8ight bloomin quid seperated out in the cream. I know what I did wrong... added the chocolate to the cream to fast. But it would be a big help if the recipe could state for numpties like me..... "add the chocolate to the cream a little at a time and make sure its all blended before you add a bit more. Carry on like this until all the chocolate has been added and blended."

JillG21733 JillG21733 Posted 07 Nov 2010 4:54 PM
 

this cake tastes amazing when its cooked tastes like a professional made it ... cooked it for my mum's birthday she loved it might cook it again <3

chloeeP5084 chloeeP5084 Posted 27 Oct 2010 3:30 PM
 

It is very good I would love to make it

bammy bammy Posted 26 Sep 2010 1:53 PM
 

Thanks to all of you who've rated this recipe, I chose this to bake my first chocolate cake out of thousands of recipes available on the web. Used only about 350grams of sugar, as my husband doesn't like a lot of sweet and I put 6 eggs. Even to my surprise the cake turned out to taste so well and I'd certainly say this is the best ever chocolate cake I've had. The cake sure does rise up a lot, it did almost double in my case and overflowed a little too. So be sure to use a tall tin!

SakirN59017 SakirN59017 Posted 01 Aug 2010 2:28 AM
 

I have made this cake 3 times now and each time has turned out brilliantly! I do the topping slightly differently - don't boil the cream, just melt the chocolate in a bain marie then pour the cream in carefully to make the ganache - it works well and shouldn't curdle. I find the cake rises a LOT, so don't make in a shallow tin!

TinaB1505 TinaB1505 Posted 28 Jul 2010 3:53 PM
 

this is a medium cake recipe, i.e. not very easy not very difficult. my cake cooked in 1 hour exact. the topping was bitter so did not use that and my all topping got wasted. and it was expensive waste. it curdled also and left oil on the side like eastern curry dishes. as far as cake is concern it was yummy and i got praised.

Asmi2091 Asmi2091 Posted 16 May 2010 1:48 AM
 

This is the best chocolate cake I ever had.....Cooked in 45 mins and it was delicious....

SwatiZ10241 SwatiZ10241 Posted 28 Apr 2010 12:56 PM
 

Very good recipe, Followed to the letter and it turned out perfect! The chocolate covering looked to runny so I added some icing sugar to thicken. Probably didn't need it. However this turned out great.the cake was light fluffy and moist! Very moorish!

LeighB9342 LeighB9342 Posted 07 Mar 2010 5:15 PM
 

GORGEOUS!!! Really yummy!!!!

PrincessJo PrincessJo Posted 23 Feb 2010 7:02 PM
 

I was determined to find the perfect chocolate cake recipe as I have not yet found one and tried that met my high standards! Success!!! The sponge was generous and moist (I took previous advice and just kept an eye on it after an hour). My family absolutely loved it and can't wait for me to make it again.

JaneBSUSA JaneBSUSA Posted 22 Jan 2010 4:58 PM
 

Having tried this cake as per the recipe, I found that it was too dry and had to reduce the timings to 1 hour - then it was delicious! Thoroughly recommend this to everyone to try

katomosh katomosh Posted 08 Oct 2009 9:38 PM
 

I made this cake for my friends birthday it went down a treat, it was scrumptious loved itSmile

daz20003 daz20003 Posted 04 Sep 2009 11:50 AM
 

this is the first cake i have ever made and it turned out fab, can't wait to make it again Embarrassed)))

katieW86449 katieW86449 Posted 26 Aug 2009 11:17 AM
 

This is an easy recipe to follow, I made it with the kids. I left mine in for 1hr&15min but next time I'll give it just the hour. It's not dry but i like it a little moister. Also it's Huge so next time i might make it as muffins & freeze half. Yummy cake Smile

leonaO31595 leonaO31595 Posted 31 Jul 2009 2:39 PM
 

I baked this cake also and it cooked in under an hour. this is just delicious and will def bake this again, the ganache is just yum!

carolS25698 carolS25698 Posted 21 Mar 2009 5:43 PM
 

I have made this twice and both times it cooked in under an hour so keep watch. The ganache was a little runny so I thickened it with icing sugar. Makes a lovely moist cake yum or lush as my sister called it

AnneH19892 AnneH19892 Posted 31 Jan 2009 2:38 PM
 

A disaster. And an expensive one. Mine cooked in 75 minutes and the ganache topping curdled. Still I'm sure the birds will enjoy it.

Mozy55 Mozy55 Posted 26 Sep 2008 7:20 AM
 

This cake is perfection. I am always making this and it has proved very popular with family and friends. Absolutely the best chocolate cake ever!! Thank you for sharing the recipe.

Angie95 Angie95 Posted 04 Jun 2008 10:46 AM
 

this is my first time of trying out this recipe and it was perfect. The taste was fantastic. It is so easy and convinent and taste really great. i was really suprised it could be that perfect and tasty. I have loves baking and cooking because of the creativity involed, it has given me so much passion because i love making people happy and i believe the best way to put smiles on the face of others is mainly through the food they eat. This is one of the reason for the great passion that burns in me every moment. I am so happy about this recipe. Everything about the out come is so perfect. My church members and friend will definately love it. Thank you so much.

kenkay kenkay Posted 11 May 2008 12:54 AM