Chocolate cake

dessert

baking

chocolate

Cake

This was the first cake Malia made, although we skipped the coffee and cinnamon in the mascarpone cream.

Ingredients:

250g unsalted butter, at room temperature, cut into 1cm cubes, plus extra for greasing
200g dark (70%) chocolate, chopped into 2cm pieces
1 espresso, topped up till 350ml with boiling water
250g white sugar
2 large eggs, at room temperature, lightly beaten
1½ tsp vanilla extract
240g flour
3/4 sachet (7g) baking powder
30g Dutch cocoa powder

Directions:

Heat oven to 160°C fan-forced. Grease a 23cm round springform pan with butter and line with baking paper.
Place the butter, chocolate, and hot coffee in a large heatproof bowl and mix until melted, combined, and smooth.
Whisk in the sugar by hand until dissolved.
Add eggs and vanilla extract and whisk until thoroughly combined and smooth.
Sift flour, cocoa powder, and a pinch of fine salt into a medium bowl, then whisk into the melted chocolate mixture until smooth.
Pour batter into the prepared pan, tap the base of the pan to remove air bubbles, and bake around 1 hour, until cooked and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean or with a few dry crumbs.
Leave the cake to cool on a wire rack for 20 minutes before removing from the pan, then cool completely.

Chocolate ganache

Ingredients:

200g dark (70%) chocolate, broken or chopped roughly into 2cm pieces
¾ cup (180ml) double cream
3 tsp glucose syrup (or maple syrup or golden syrup)
3 tsp unsalted butter, at room temperature

Directions:

Finely chop or grate the chocolate.
Combine cream and syrup in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Remove from heat as soon as bubbles appear (just before boiling).
Take off the heat and add the chocolate. Let it sit for 1 minute, then stir until smooth and glossy.
Scrape ganache into a bowl and cover with plastic wrap touching the surface.
Set aside for 30 minutes to pour over OR about 2 hours at room temperature until spreadable.

The cake should be completely cool before spreading the ganache on top. The ganache takes at least 30 mins to get to a good consistency.

Cinnamon mascarpone cream

Ingredients:

1½ cups (375ml) double cream
190g mascarpone
Seeds of ½ vanilla pod
½ tsp ground cinnamon
2 tbs icing sugar, sifted

Directions:

Place all ingredients in a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment.
Beat for 1 to 2 minutes until soft peaks form.

Assembly

Directions:

Peel baking paper from the cooled cake and transfer cake to a serving platter.
Spread the ganache on top (or pour it over the cake and allow to drip down the sides depending on how long you left it)
Slice into wedges and serve with a spoonful of espresso cinnamon mascarpone cream.

--- title: "Chocolate cake" image: featured.webp categories: [dessert, baking, chocolate] --- ![](featured.webp) ## Cake This was the first cake Malia made, although we skipped the coffee and cinnamon in the mascarpone cream. ### Ingredients: - 250g unsalted butter, at room temperature, cut into 1cm cubes, plus extra for greasing - 200g dark (70%) chocolate, chopped into 2cm pieces - 1 espresso, topped up till 350ml with boiling water - 250g white sugar - 2 large eggs, at room temperature, lightly beaten - 1½ tsp vanilla extract - 240g flour - 3/4 sachet (7g) baking powder - 30g Dutch cocoa powder ### Directions: - Heat oven to 160°C fan-forced. Grease a 23cm round springform pan with butter and line with baking paper. - Place the butter, chocolate, and hot coffee in a large heatproof bowl and mix until melted, combined, and smooth. - Whisk in the sugar by hand until dissolved. - Add eggs and vanilla extract and whisk until thoroughly combined and smooth. - Sift flour, cocoa powder, and a pinch of fine salt into a medium bowl, then whisk into the melted chocolate mixture until smooth. - Pour batter into the prepared pan, tap the base of the pan to remove air bubbles, and bake around 1 hour, until cooked and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean or with a few dry crumbs. - Leave the cake to cool on a wire rack for 20 minutes before removing from the pan, then cool completely. ## Chocolate ganache ### Ingredients: - 200g dark (70%) chocolate, broken or chopped roughly into 2cm pieces - ¾ cup (180ml) double cream - 3 tsp glucose syrup (or maple syrup or golden syrup) - 3 tsp unsalted butter, at room temperature ### Directions: - Finely chop or grate the chocolate. - Combine cream and syrup in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Remove from heat as soon as bubbles appear (just before boiling). - Take off the heat and add the chocolate. Let it sit for 1 minute, then stir until smooth and glossy. - Scrape ganache into a bowl and cover with plastic wrap touching the surface. - Set aside for 30 minutes to pour over OR about 2 hours at room temperature until spreadable. The cake should be completely cool before spreading the ganache on top. The ganache takes at least 30 mins to get to a good consistency. ## Cinnamon mascarpone cream ### Ingredients: - 1½ cups (375ml) double cream - 190g mascarpone - Seeds of ½ vanilla pod - ½ tsp ground cinnamon - 2 tbs icing sugar, sifted ### Directions: - Place all ingredients in a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. - Beat for 1 to 2 minutes until soft peaks form. ## Assembly ### Directions: - Peel baking paper from the cooled cake and transfer cake to a serving platter. - Spread the ganache on top (or pour it over the cake and allow to drip down the sides depending on how long you left it) - Slice into wedges and serve with a spoonful of espresso cinnamon mascarpone cream.