Rich Chocolate Cake

This is by far my son’s favourite cake. He asks me to make it for him for his birthday every single year, without a fail. It has a rich chocolatey taste, but it is not too sweet and has a very soft, brownie-like consistency and texture. It is also so easy to make!

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Preparation time: about 30 minutes • Baking time: 35-40 minutes

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Ingredients:

Cake:
✽ 1 cup flour
✽ ¾ cup sugar
✽ ½ cup milk
✽ 100 g baking chocolate
✽ 80 g butter
✽ 2 eggs
✽ 1 baking powder
✽ pinch of salt
✽ topping of fresh fruit and/or orange, lemon or lime zest (optional)

Ganache:
✽ 100 g dark chocolate
✽ 100 g butter (could be a little less)

Lime whipped cream:
✽ 250 g mascarpone
✽ 250 ml crème fraîche
✽ 1 lime

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Method:

01
In a small saucepan, melt the butter. Be careful not to burn it, so as soon as it has melted take it off heat and add the chocolate. Keep stirring and hot butter will melt the chocolate safely and turn it into a silky, shiny ganache.

02
Add milk and mix thoroughly.

03
Beat eggs with sugar until they are fluffy, shiny and almost white.

04
Sift the flour with baking powder, add wet ingredients and gently fold in the two together, but only until they are combined.

05
Line a round baking form with parchment paper and bake in 175ºC for around 35-40 minutes, depending on your oven. The best way to check wether it is done is to pierce it in the middle with a metal skewer (my mum always used a metal knitting needle). Raw cake sticks onto the metal. It needs to be perfectly clear.

06
Cool down and once the cake is cold, make chocolate ganache. Heat up the butter and once melted, but not browned, take off the heat and add chocolate. Keep stirring, until perfectly combined, shiny and silky. Cool down a little to thicken your ganache, then gently pour over the cake. Use a spatula or a cake scraper to delicately smooth out if needed. Decorate with fruit while the ganache is still soft, but not too hot.

07
I like serving it with lime whipped cream. First whip crème fraîche, then add mascarpone and keep whipping until it thickens. Finish by adding fresh lime juice. After plating, sprinkle with freshly grated lime peel for added citrusy depth.

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Enjoy!