Culinary Delights: Basic Chocolate Cake

Today's recipe is one of my favourite cakes to make. The name makes it sound simplistic (which it is) & this cake is one of the easiest you will ever make. The Chocolate Glaze is what takes it to the next level & makes it a luxurious delight. Every time I make this cake it never stays around for long. In fact the last time I made it, it was gone within 20 minutes!

This recipe comes from Donna Hay's Chocolate book, one of the best cookbooks ever. Ours is used so much that there's chocolate stains on the pages.

And now lo & behold, the recipe!


Ingredients


-375 g butter, softened.
-1 1/2 cups brown sugar.
-3 eggs.
-2 cups plain (all-purpose) flour, sifted.
-2 teaspoons baking powder.
-2/3 cup cocoa, double sifted.
-3/4 cup milk.
-1 quantity chocolate glaze recipe (see below).


Method


1. Preheat the oven to 160 C (320 F).

2. Place the butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer and beat for 8-10 minutes or until light and creamy. Gradually add the eggs and beat well.

3. Fold through the flour, baking powder and cocoa and stir in the milk.

4. Spoon the mixture into a 22 cm (8 1/2 in) round cake tin lined with non-stick baking paper and bake for 1 hour and 10 minutes or until cooked when tested with a skewer.

5. Cool in the tin for 10 minutes then turn out onto a wire rack. Ice with chocolate glaze. Serves 8-10.


Chocolate Glaze Recipe




1. Place 150g chopped dark couverture chocolate (I just use Cadbury's Cooking Chocolate) and 1/2 cup (single or pouring) cream in a small saucepan over low heat, stirring until melted and smooth.

2. Allow the mixture to stand for 10 minutes and to thicken slightly.

3. Pour the glaze over a well chilled cake and tap to remove any air bubbles.