Making The Perfect Chocolate Cake for Christmas

Making The Perfect Chocolate Cake

The Perfect Rich Chocolate Cake

We want it rich, but not belt-busting. Nigella’s sour cream brings a certain creamy taste, but it’s a high-fat concoction. This rich chocolate cake is made using a mixture of half-fat crème fraiche and vegetable oil, giving a moist cake that won’t break the calorie bank.

You can make it richer or simpler by topping it with a rich ganache, or just dusting it with icing sugar. Choose from the Topping suggestions below.

Ingredients:

• 225g (8oz) self-raising flour, sieved
• 3tbsp cocoa
• 0.5tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 175g (6oz) caster sugar
• 3 eggs
• 150ml (5fl oz) crème fraiche
• 150ml (5fl oz) sunflower oil
• 3tbsp golden syrup

Method:

1. Tip the dry ingredients into a bowl or food processor and mix to combine
2. In a jug, whisk the eggs until pale then add the crème fraiche, sunflower oil, and golden syrup
3. Whisk together thoroughly, then tip the mixture into the dry ingredients and beat or blend to combine
4. Pour the batter into a greased 8” round tin
5. Bake at 140ºC for 40 mins to1 hour

Cool on a wire rack.

The Best Chocolate Cake Ever

This is our perfect chocolate cake. It’s light enough to take a buttery filling, or – for a change – cherry jam, and a ganache topping. It’s also fluffy and charming enough to convert the anti-chocolate cake league.

Ingredients:

• 225g (8oz) self-raising flour
• 3tbsp cocoa
• 2tsp baking powder
• 225g (8oz) margarine
• 225g (8oz) caster sugar
• 4 eggs, beaten
• 10tbsp milk

Method:

• Sieve the first three ingredients into a bowl (or processor bowl)
• Then add the margarine, caster sugar, beaten eggs, and milk, and beat until combined
• Tip into two well-greased 8” round baking tins, and bake at 160ºC for about 50 minutes
• Test with a skewer – when it comes out of the cake clean, the cake is done
• Cool on a wire rack, and finish with icing of your choice

Toppings

Each topping recipe makes enough to top one 8” cake. To make enough to fill and cover, double the quantities.

Chocolate ganache:

• Pour 100ml (4floz) double cream into a saucepan
• Add 110g (4oz) of broken dark or milk chocolate
• Allow to melt, whisk to blend, and then refrigerate until it reaches spreading consistency
• Spread over the cake

Chocolate butter icing:

• Beat 75g (3oz) butter until soft
• Sift in 175g (6oz) icing sugar and up to 28g (1oz) of cocoa, depending how strong you want the icing
• Add 1tbsp boiling water and beat until well blended.