Do you have that one item of food that you could eat all day, everyday? For example chips, cookies, meat, veggies, ice-cream?. Well for me it’s chocolate! I think for most of human population, chocolate is their comfort food: when you’re upset about something you go for that Snickers or Mars bar that you picked up at the supermarket, or you get the chocolate ice-cream from Ben and Jerrys (or Haagn Dass). It’s sad to think that in the UK a chocolate bar is cheaper than fruit, which is the more healthy alternative. However there are times when you need that excessive amount sugar just to feel happy.
Chocolate don’t get me wrong doesn’t help me in anyway in terms of my health. If I eat more milk chocolate than usual of course my acne flairs up and I’m that much closer to getting another cavity. However I’ve been feeling a bit out of sorts lately and thought to myself, you know I might need a bit more than a piece or two to fill the void.. I need something bigger and better….a cake! Now normally I would make my mothers famous, never fail chocolate cake but not only did I want a chocolate cake but I wanted chocolate icing as well. I was going the whole nine yards, I thought to myself if I was going to sin might as well do it right, no? I chose a recipe that I had made once before way back in High School. It was called the Ultimate Chocolate Cake and not only was it a chocolate cake with chocolate icing, it also had chocolate chips inside!.
Funny enough with this recipe I had to make it twice, as the first time round there were so many failures along the way. Firstly didn’t put the right measurement of buttermilk in the recipe and secondly tried to cut the cake in half when it was still warm and it broke. It was just that day when nothing was going right, however I was able to use the icing to glue the two halves together and it looked like nothing had ever happened to it. Although once it was cut, it fell apart. Let’s just say that when you’re trying to be creative and your impatient there can be some mishaps haha. In any case following the recipe to the T second time was an all around success! The cake was cooked, the icing was great and I did not cut the cake in half (I learned my lessons). What I did notice though was that the cake was still a bit dry. Now I don’t know if that has to do with not having enough buttermilk or not enough salt. Either way it’s a recipe that I find needs a bit of adjustment in order to make it moist. But then again you do have the icing which helps it make it moist.
My music choice was all about Robbie Williams, mainly his hits in the 2000’s check out my favourites HERE.
Ingredients for Cake:
125g (4 oz) butter
1 cup (185 g/ 6 oz) soft brown sugar
1 tablespoon instant expresso coffee powder
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
1/3 cup ( 40 g/ 1 1/3 oz ) self raising flour
1 cup (125 g / 4oz ) plain flour
1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
1/2 cup (60g/ 2oz) cocoa powder
3/4 cup ( 185ml / 6fl ) buttermilk
1/2 cup (90g / 3oz ) dark choc bits
Icing:
100 g (3 1/3 oz) unsalted butter
100g (3 1/3 oz) dark chocolate, chopped
METHOD from Crazy for Chocolate:
1) Preheat oven to moderate 180 C ( 350 F/ Gas 4). Brush a deep 20 cm (8 inch) round cake tin with melted butter or oil. Line base and sides with baking paper.
2) Using electric beaters, beat butter and sugar until light and creamy; add coffee powder. Beat until combined. Add eggs gradually, beating well after each addition; add essence.
3) Transfer mixture to large bowl. Using a metal spoon, fold in sifted flours, soda and cocoa alternately with buttermilk. Stir until combined and smooth. Stir through chocolate bits. Pour mixture into prepared tin; smooth surface. Bake 50 -60 minutes or until skewer comes out clean when inserted into the centre of the cake. Leave cake in tin 30 minutes before turning onto wire rack to cool.
4) To make Icing: Melt butter and chocolate in a small heatproof bowl; stand bowl over a pan of simmering water until chocolate is smooth and glossy. When cool, spread icing evenly over top of the cake.
NOTE:
- This recipe was from Crazy For Chocolate, published by Murdoch Books [1995]
- I didn't have buttermilk but I did make it. Buttermilk is essentially slightly sour, residual liquid which remains after butter is churned. Buttermilk is really simple to make, in one cup of milk you pour a tablespoon of either vinegar or lemon juice. Leave to sit on for 20 mins
Do you have an ultimate chocolate recipe? Let me know in the comment box below!
