I have made many chocolate cake recipes over the years but I keep coming back to this basic chocolate cake every time I want a really good fudgy cake. So this time I am sharing it with you so that you can try and bake this and enjoy it too.
This is a great cake to make fresh but it is also a good one to make in advance and stick it in the fridge for later. I usually make it a few hours in advance and whatever is left goes in the fridge. When I want to eat it again, I take a slice and warm it in the microwave for 8-10 seconds so that the chocolate is not rock solid. This serves 8-10 people.
For the cake
- 1 tbsp instant coffee
- 180 ml boiling water
- 150 gms unsalted softened butter
- 250 gms caster sugar
- 1 large egg
- 150 gms plain flour
- 50 gms ground almonds
- 50 gms cocoa powder
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp bicarb of soda
- 100 gms sour cream
For the icing
- 200 gms double cream
- 150 gms dark chocolate, broken into pieces
Preheat the oven to 180C or 160C fan. Grease and line 2 x 8 inch round baking tins.
Put the coffee in the boiling water and mix well. Let it cool slightly, meanwhile prepare the cake mix by beating the butter and sugar together for a minute until smooth. Now add the egg and whisk again.
Add the sour cream into the coffee and mix well. In another bowl mix the flour, almond, cocoa, baking powder and baking soda and mix well.
Add half this mix to the egg bowl and whisk. Next add half the coffee mix and whisk, followed by the left over flour mix and then the last of the coffee mix. Transfer the cake batter equally into the 2 cake tins and bake for 20 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean. Let them cool completely.
Meanwhile prepare the ganache by heating up the cream until just coming to a boil. Put the chocolate in a bowl and pour the cream over it and let it sit for 20 seconds or so. Now stir through until the chocolate has melted.
Pour half of this over one cake. Place the second cake on top then pour the rest of the ganache on top. Let it sit for a couple of hours then serve.
You can check the full recipe video here –