As growing pregnant lady (this explains my radio silence) my cravings have steadily increased. The craving for chocolate has become quite strong, and I often have to take an afternoon walk to go get a slab of chocolate. This chocolate cake recipe which I found here hits the chocolate craving spot every time. It is deliciously moist and decadent. Chocolate lovers be warned.
I have tweaked it slightly by increasing the cooking time and halving the butter cream recipe (yes, you can have too much icing) and sandwiching the cakes with salted caramel. Because salted caramel. As with most of the dessert/baking recipes on this blog, it is quite rich so a sliver of a slice is all that is needed to enjoy.
Happy baking from Katie and bump.
Chocolate Cake with Salted Caramel Filling and Chocolate Icing
Recipe from Add a Pinch
For the cake
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups sugar
¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 teaspoons baking powder
1½ teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon coffee powder/granules
1 cup milk
½ cup vegetable or canola oil
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup boiling water
Salted Caramel
200g sugar
75ml double cream
50g butter, cube
1.2 teaspoon salt flakes
Method
1. Preheat oven to 180C, grease 2 springform cake pans with olive oil spray and line with baking paper.
2. Add flour, sugar, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, salt and espresso powder to a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer. Whisk through to combine or, using your paddle attachment, stir through flour mixture until combined well.
3. Add milk, vegetable oil, eggs, and vanilla to flour mixture and mix together on medium speed until well combined. Reduce speed and carefully add boiling water to the cake batter. Beat on high speed for about 1 minute to add air to the batter.
4. Distribute cake batter evenly between the two prepared cake pans. Bake for 40 minutes, until a toothpick or cake tester inserted in the centre comes out clean.
5. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for about 10 minutes, remove from the tins and cool completely.
Salted Caramel Filling
1. Place the sugar in a large saucepan with 50ml water. Gently heat on low, swirling the pan but not stirring, until just melted.
2.Turn up the heat a little and simmer gently, swirling regularly, until you have a clear, very dark golden caramel.
3. Remove the pan from the heat then carefully and quickly whisk in the cream and butter. It will spit a little, but don’t panic and keep whisking until smooth.
4. Beat in salt.
Chocolate Icing from Add a Pinch
(measurements halved and method tweaked slightly)
3/4 cups butter, softened
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa, sifted
2 1/2 cups icing sugar, sifted
1/4 cup milk
1 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon coffee powder/granules
1. Cream the butter in a stand mixer with the paddle attachment.
2. Add sifted cocoa and beat for a few minutes until combined
3.Add sugar and milk to cocoa mixture by adding 1 cup of sugar followed by about a tablespoon of milk. After each addition has been combined, turn mixer onto a high speed for about a minute. Repeat until all sugar and milk have been added.
4.Add vanilla extract and espresso powder and combine well.
To assemble
1. Place one of the cakes on a board or cake stand. Spread salted caramel on the top (you may have to warm this slightly in the microwave, I found 20 seconds allowed it to become lovely and soft again).
2. Place the 2nd cake on top of the 1st cake.
3. Spread the chocolate icing over the top and around the sides.
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