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Chocolate cake

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Chocolate cake

Postby cherrytree » Fri Nov 13, 2020 7:30 pm

I was thinking. If you are a keen family cake maker, you will have a signature chocolate cake that works and that everybody likes. If like me, it would take a lot to change from your tried and tested recipe. Mine is Nigella’s Old fashioned Chocolate Cake. What’s yours?

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Re: Chocolate cake

Postby DEB » Fri Nov 13, 2020 7:38 pm

If you after a non special famialy chocolate cake is Mary Berry's vanilla and chocolate marble traybake. For a special cake Sachertorte, and the recipe I use is also Mary Berry.
:woohoo:

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Re: Chocolate cake

Postby smitch » Fri Nov 13, 2020 7:43 pm

I used to make the milk chocolate cake from the Be-Ro book. Now I make this one https://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/hersheys-perfectly-chocolate-chocolate-cake

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Re: Chocolate cake

Postby Busybee » Fri Nov 13, 2020 7:50 pm

Another Mary Berry fan here, her express chocolate cake is something that my mum baked for us as children. It’s a firm family favourite.

https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=mary+ ... ent=safari


She sometimes would fill it with cherry compote and fresh cream, a cheats Black Forest gateau. Purists please don’t all raise your hands in horror at once! :tongueout


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Re: Chocolate cake

Postby Earthmaiden » Fri Nov 13, 2020 8:30 pm

The one which has been our favourite since the 1950's was from a post war recipe given to my mother by our home help. It's pretty basic sponge sandwich with chocolate buttercream and quite dense in comparison to the fluffy cakes full of rich ingredients we have today but I am still fond of it.

I made Nigella's Old Fashioned for two birthdays this year. It looked gorgeous but I was disappointed with the flavour.

This was for 2 x 5" or 6" sandwich tins which look tiny these days, I usually double it or more these days for larger tins (makes a lovely sponge pud to have with chocolate custard too). I expect people might add a tiny bit more baking powder these days too.

Cream 4oz marg ( would use butter now), 4oz caster sugar, 2 tbsp cocoa. Add 1 egg and 2 tbsp hot water. Beat well, it will curdle, that's ok. Gradually add 3oz SR flour. When all mixed in, divide between 2 x prepared (greased & lined) sandwich tins. Bake 375F 15- 20 mins.
Icing; 1oz marg (butter), 4 tbsp sifted icing sugar, 2 tsp cocoa. Drops of hot water to smooth if necessary Smooth onto cake - half inside the sandwich and half on top using knife dipped in hot water to smooth. These days we like more icing than this!

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Re: Chocolate cake

Postby Suelle » Fri Nov 13, 2020 9:06 pm

Michael Barry's Crafty Chocolate Cake is a family favourite, dating back to when my children were young. It's moister, better flavoured and easier to make than a chocolate sponge based on the Victoria Sandwich recipe:

http://bakinginfranglais.blogspot.com/2 ... -cake.html

However, it's not a very grown-up chocolate flavour. I have a whole range of chocolate cakes for when we want something richer and denser than a sponge. My current favourite is the cake from this Dan Lepard recipe. I don't turn it into Lamingtons, but the cake itself is great, and lovely for cakes which you're going to decorate, as it rises evenly:

https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyl ... pes-baking
Traditional home baking, and more:
http://mainlybaking.blogspot.co.uk/

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Re: Chocolate cake

Postby Stokey Sue » Fri Nov 13, 2020 9:28 pm

That looks good
My go to is a version of Sacher torte my mum cut out of a newspaper about 60 years ago, for special occasions like birthdays. Keeps well

For mass catering I got an 11 inch layer tin, I used to make 2 chocolate Genoese sponges and sandwich and coat them with a chocolate fudge icing, for which I’ve lost the recipe. Sometimes I used to use a Betty Crocker frosting mix - great texture, but not such a good flavour

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Re: Chocolate cake

Postby scullion » Fri Nov 13, 2020 11:07 pm

bruce bogtrotter every time.

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Re: Chocolate cake

Postby Stokey Sue » Fri Nov 13, 2020 11:17 pm

scullion wrote:bruce bogtrotter every time.

Too blurred to read
Is this the same more legibly?
https://www.stylist.co.uk/life/roald-da ... ood/298793

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Re: Chocolate cake

Postby scullion » Fri Nov 13, 2020 11:31 pm

nearly - it's been given a couple of extra tablespoons of sugar (why?) and instead of four tbs of flour they say 35g - not sure that would be the same. plus there is no filling in the original just a thick outer coating of loveliness - it needs no filling. (although to be fair that's just in the picture rather than their recipe.
the photos in my link are scans from the roald dhal 'revolting recipes' cook book, so the original recipe.
there are plenty of usurpers on the web - same name different recipe...

if you click on the photos, sue, they should be readable even when you increase the size.

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Re: Chocolate cake

Postby Hickybank » Sat Nov 14, 2020 12:01 am

I just use a basic sponge mix & add cocoa powder, for the filling & top Icing sugar Cocoa water or |Brandy

I did pin this recipe off Delia looks interesting
https://www.deliaonline.com/recipes/occ ... teBeerCake

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Re: Chocolate cake

Postby slimpersoninside » Sat Nov 14, 2020 12:39 am

Suelle wrote:Michael Barry's Crafty Chocolate Cake is a family favourite, dating back to when my children were young. It's moister, better flavoured and easier to make than a chocolate sponge based on the Victoria Sandwich recipe:

http://bakinginfranglais.blogspot.com/2 ... -cake.html


Second this one (much better than it looks in these photos IMHO).

I tend to fill and top with chocolate buttercream, or something equally chocolatey.

I tried the Nigella one mentioned, preferred Michael Barry's.

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Re: Chocolate cake

Postby karadekoolaid » Sat Nov 14, 2020 3:31 am

I want to stress that I am NOT a good baker; or cake maker, for what it´s worth.
However, about 5 or 6 years ago, my wife was travelling and it was my son´s birthday. Time to step up. I found Nigella´s Chocolate Beetroot Cake, followed the recipe slavishly, and produced a perfect cake.
Every single time I´ve made it since then, it´s turned out perfectly.
Nigella, you are an absolute daahling! :gonzo

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Re: Chocolate cake

Postby Busybee » Sat Nov 14, 2020 9:17 am

scullion wrote:bruce bogtrotter every time.



What I like about that recipe is that it clearly states all the equipment you need before you start. Is it styled as a children’s cookbook?

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Re: Chocolate cake

Postby halfateabag » Sat Nov 14, 2020 10:58 am

Not wishing to hijack this thread.... I made a coffee and walnut cake this week...... I am thoroughly enjoying a piece most days. I made sure that it is very coffee-ey ! and put broken walnuts in the cake mixture as well as on the top of the finished cake. Very lush !

I do have a spare beetroot so may well give the choc. & beetroot cake a go next.

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Re: Chocolate cake

Postby slimpersoninside » Sat Nov 14, 2020 1:06 pm

halfateabag wrote:Not wishing to hijack this thread.... I made a coffee and walnut cake this week...... I am thoroughly enjoying a piece most days. I made sure that it is very coffee-ey ! and put broken walnuts in the cake mixture as well as on the top of the finished cake. Very lush !

I do have a spare beetroot so may well give the choc. & beetroot cake a go next.


As this thread is about chocolate cake IMO this post belongs on the What have you baked thread.

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Re: Chocolate cake

Postby Badger's Mate » Sat Nov 14, 2020 7:11 pm

I'm very fond of the HF-W chocolate & chestnut truffle cake, usually make it around this time of year. Mrs B makes the MB marbled traybake from time to time.

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Re: Chocolate cake

Postby scullion » Sun Nov 15, 2020 4:37 pm

Busybee wrote:

What I like about that recipe is that it clearly states all the equipment you need before you start. Is it styled as a children’s cookbook?

BB

yes, it is, it has some nice recipes in.
the cake is the one my young still ask for on special occasions and any extra covering (what‽‽) can be eaten as a rich truffle-y pudding. .

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Re: Chocolate cake

Postby ZeroCook » Sun Nov 15, 2020 5:39 pm

I'm one of those people who has never found a really great chocolate cake recipe - who know why. I'm really liking the look of Scullion's one tho. Pics are a bit low res but. Any chance of sharper ones? Or a link to an original version? Or an ingredients list etc? My halfbaked search only came up with an even lower res image!

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Re: Chocolate cake

Postby scullion » Sun Nov 15, 2020 5:46 pm

did you try clicking on the photos? they come up as a better resolution that you can then size adjust/zoom in on to read at the size that suits you best. (and save to your computer).

the photo ability worked differently on wildwood from here.

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