Chocolate Cake From Cook Yourself Thin Recipes

DEEP DARK CHOCOLATE CAKE FROM 'COOK YOURSELF THIN'

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
• Lightly spray an 8-inch springform baking pan with cooking spray.
• In a small bowl, combine the flour, cocoa powder, ground almonds, salt and baking soda, and set aside.
• Using a standing or handheld mixer set at medium speed, beat the eggs and sugar for 4 full minutes until pale and fluffy. On low speed, beat in the grated beets, followed by dry ingredients. Add the buttermilk and coffee, and beat until the batter is smooth.
• Pour into the pan and place in the middle of a hot oven and bake for 30 minutes. Test with a toothpick inserted for doneness; it should come out clean. Bake for an additional 5 minutes if needed.
• Cool for 10 minutes or so in the pan and unmold onto cooling rack. Cool on a wire rack until cold.
• To make the icing, prepare a double boiler.
• Combine all the ingredients and gently stir until the chocolate is smooth. Stir occasionally until the mixture thickens.
• With the cake still on the wire rack, pour the icing liberally over the top of the cake and let it drip down the sides. Transfer onto a plate or cake stand for serving and garnish with rose petals.

BEETROOT CHOCOLATE FUDGE CAKE FROM 'COOK YOURSELF THIN'

Steps:

• Preheat a conventional oven to 160ºC, or a fan-assisted one to 140ºC. With the help of a brush and a tiny bit of sunflower oil, grease the surface of a round 20cm diameter by 8cm high loose-bottomed tin and set aside.
• Melt the chocolate gently in a bowl over a pan of simmering water until all dissolved, then set aside to cool.
• In a large mixing bowl, beat the eggs with the sugar, the scraped-out vanilla seeds, the maple syrup and the honey for three minutes with an electric hand whisk until pale and quite fluffy.
• Gently fold in the flours, bicarbonate of soda, salt, cocoa and ground almonds until fully incorporated.
• Using some kitchen paper, dab the grated beetroot thoroughly to remove some of the excess moisture. Fold in the beetroot, cooled chocolate, coffee and oil with the help of a spatula until thoroughly mixed together.
• Pour the mixture into the prepared tin and cook in the middle of the oven for 1 hour 30 minutes. After this time, cover the cake with foil and bake for another 30 minutes.
• Test the cake by inserting a skewer into the centre to see if it comes out clean (although this cake is so moist that even when the cake is fully cooked, the skewer comes out looking slightly messy). Leave to cool on a wire rack.
• To make the fudge topping, melt the chocolate gently in a bowl over a pan of simmering water, then remove from the heat and add the coffee and the vanilla essence.
• At this stage the chocolate will seize up slightly, but it will relax back once you add the honey and gently mix inches.
• Set aside to cool for 15 minutes before icing the cake. Cut the cake through the middle and ice it in the centre and on all sides.
• Decorate the top with whatever you fancy, but I like using pink flowers, such as tulips or roses, which I plant into the cake with a bit of stem left on.

9-INCH CHOCOLATE CAKE RECIPE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease 2 (9-inch) round baking pans with oil or butter and lightly coat with flour.
• In a large bowl, sift together the sugar, flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
• Beat in the eggs, milk, oil, and vanilla. Beat for 2 minutes on medium speed, or until the mixture is smooth and lump-free. Stir in boiling water. The batter will be very thin.
• Pour the batter into greased pans. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
• While the cakes are in the oven, prepare the frosting. Stir the butter and cocoa powder in a bowl. Add in powdered sugar and milk alternately. Beat the frosting until spreadable, adding more milk if needed. Stir in vanilla extract.
• Let the cakes sit for 10 minutes. Transfer them into wire racks to cool completely.
• To assemble the cake, place the first layer onto a flat serving plate. Using an offset spatula, spread a 3rd of the frosting evenly on top of the cake.
• Top the frosted cake with the 2nd cake. Spread remaining frosting on top and the sides of the cake.

CHOCOLATE CAKE FROM 'COOK YOURSELF THIN'

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Coat a 6-inch round cake pan (2 inches deep) with baking spray.
• Combine the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt in the bowl of an electric mixer. Beat on low speed until well combined, about 1 minute. With mixer running on medium speed, add warm water and beat until well blended. Add buttermilk, egg, oil and vanilla, and beat on medium for 5 minutes, scraping down sides of bowl occasionally.
• Pour batter into the prepared pan, and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 45 minutes. Cool in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes, then unmold and cool completely on the rack.
• When ready to serve, place the bittersweet chocolate in a small bowl. Heat the cream in a small saucepan set over medium heat until bubbles form around the edge. Immediately pour over chocolate. Let sit for 1 minute, then stir until smooth and well blended. Pour over cooled cake and spread to evenly coat top. (Chocolate sauce will drip down the sides.) Let set, about 10 minutes, and serve.

CHOCOLATE PAVLOVA FROM "COOK YOURSELF THIN"

Steps:

• 1. Preheat the oven to 300 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• 2. Whisk the egg whites and salt on high speed until they hold their shape. Add the lemon juice and whisk just to incorporate. Add the sugar gradually until the mixture stands in firm peaks. Sift the cocoa powder into a small corner of the bowl and lightly fold it into the meringue using a plastic spatula (3 turns). Do not overmix or you will lose the rippled effect. Pour the meringue onto the parchment-lined sheet pan in an oval shape, roughly 2 inches high. Place into the bottom of the oven and bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes.
• 3. Switch off the oven without opening the door and leave the pavlova in the turned-off oven for 1 hour. Remove and set aside.
• 4. For the topping: Whisk the whipping cream and 1 tablespoons confectioners' sugar into semi-stiff peaks and spoon on top of the pavlova. Sprinkle with raspberries and shaved chocolate before serving. Finish with drizzled chocolate.

WORLD'S BEST CHOCOLATE CAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit/170 degrees Celsius. Grease a 9-inch/23-centimeter round springform pan with butter and line with parchment paper, then set aside.
• Make the cake: Place butter, chocolate and hot coffee in a large heatproof bowl and mix well until everything is melted, combined and smooth. Whisk in sugar by hand until dissolved. Add eggs and vanilla extract and whisk again until thoroughly combined and smooth. Sift flour, cocoa powder and salt together into a bowl and then whisk this into the melted chocolate mixture. The batter here is liquid, but don't think you have missed something; this is how it should be.
• Pour batter into the prepared pan and bake for 1 hour, or until the cake is cooked and a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean or with just a few dry crumbs attached. The top will form a crust and crack a little, but don't worry, this is expected. Leave the cake to cool for 20 minutes before removing from the pan, then set aside until completely cool.
• Make the chocolate ganache, if desired: Place chocolate pieces in a food processor, process until fine and set aside. Combine cream and corn syrup in a small pan and place over medium-high heat. As soon as bubbles begin to appear (just before it comes to a boil), remove from the heat. Get the food processor running again, with the chocolate still inside, and pour in the hot cream in a steady stream. Process for 10 seconds, then add butter. Continue to process until mixture is shiny and smooth. (You can also make the ganache by hand; just make sure the chocolate is chopped fairly finely before adding the cream mixture. Stir with a wooden spoon until almost melted, then add the butter. Stir again until the ganache is smooth.)
• Use a rubber spatula to scrape the ganache into a bowl and cover with plastic wrap, with the plastic actually touching the top of the ganache. Set aside until it has set to the consistency you want. If you want a thin layer to spread over the cake, it can be poured over while liquid so that you get an even, light and shiny coating. For a thicker ganache with a spreading consistency, leave it for about 2 hours at room temperature. (The ganache can be stored at room temperature, providing it's not too warm, for 3 days or kept in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. It can also be frozen, although it will lose a bit of its shine when defrosted.)
• Make the espresso cinnamon mascarpone cream, if desired: Place all the ingredients in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat for 1 to 2 minutes, until soft peaks form.
• Peel the parchment from the cake and discard. Transfer to a serving platter and spread the ganache, if using, on top of the cake. Slice into wedges, divide the cake among plates and, if using, spoon the mascarpone cream alongside. With or without icing, the cake will keep well for 4 to 5 days in an airtight container.

CHOCOLATEY CHOCOLATE CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 10 by 3-inch round pan with butter, line the bottom and sides of the pan with parchment paper, and grease the paper. (I'll let you just grease, line the bottom of the pan, and lightly flour the sides if you're feeling lazy.)
• Place a large sifter or a sieve in a large mixing bowl. Add the flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt and sift.
• Add the sugar and whisk until combined.
• In another large bowl, whisk the eggs, milk, oil, and vanilla together.
• Gradually add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and whisk until there are no lumps and the batter is smooth.
• Carefully pour in the boiling water and stir until combined. (Watch the little ones with the hot water!)
• Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake in the center of the oven for approximately 50 minutes or until a wooden skewer inserted in the center comes out clean, and the cake bounces back when lightly pressed.
• Remove from the oven and let the cake stand for 10 minutes. Run a butter knife around the cake to gently release. Peel off the parchment paper from the sides. Invert the cake, peel off the bottom piece of parchment, and cool on a wire rack.
• Variation:
• Coffee Enhanced Chocolate Cake: Swap the cup of water for a cup of hot black coffee.