Chocolate Spoonful Cake Recipes

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.

SPOON CAKE

Steps:

• For the cake: Position an oven rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. Spray a 9-inch loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray.
• Sift together the flour and cornstarch. Whisk together the sour cream, oil, sugar and egg in a large bowl until smooth, which will take 1 to 2 minutes.
• In a small pitcher or separate bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, vanilla, baking soda and baking powder. Add to the bowl and mix to combine.
• Add the dry mixture to the wet ingredients in two batches, stirring until just combined and no lumps of flour remain.
• Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and bake until a cake tester inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, 35 to 40 minutes. Put to one side while you make the frosting.
• For the gooey chocolate frosting: Combine the milk, chocolate and butter in a saucepot over medium-low heat. Stir until the chocolate has melted and the mixture is smooth, about 3 minutes. Pour the frosting over the still-warm cake and serve immediately, eating with spoons straight from the pan.

CHOCOLATE SPOONFUL CAKE

Steps:

• Make cake layers:
• Preaheat oven to 375°F. Butter and flour two 9- by 2-inch round cake pans, knocking out excess flour.
• In a double boiler or a metal bowl set over a pan of barely simmering water melt chocolate, stirring until smooth, and cool.
• In a large bowl with an electric mixer beat together butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Bet in sour cream and vanilla until combined. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well with after each addition.
• In a bowl whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt and gradually add to sour cream mixture, beating until just combined. Beat in chocolate until batter is just combined and divide between pans.
• Bake layers in middle of oven until a tester comes out clean, about 30 minutes. Cool layers in pans on rack 10 minutes and invert onto racks to cook completely.
• Make filling/frosting:
• In a double boiler or a metal bowl set over a pan of barely simmering water, melt chocolate, stirring until smooth, and cool to room temperature. In a large bowl with an electric mixer beat together sour cream, heavy cream, confectioners' sugar, and vanilla until thickened. Beat in chocolate until combined.
• Make glaze:
• In a double boiler or a metal bowl set over a pan of barely simmering water, melt chocolate and butter, stirring until smooth, and cool.
• Assemble cake:
• With a long serrated knife halve cake layers horizontally. Stack layers on a cake plate, spreading 1 cup filling/frosting between each layer. Spread side of cake with remaining filling/frosting.
• Pour glaze on top of cake, spreading to just cover top, and coat side with chocolate chips and shavings, pressing them in gently.

CHOCOLATE SPONGE CAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 190C/170C fan/gas 5. Butter and line two 20cm sandwich tins with baking parchment.
• Use a handheld electric whisk or a freestanding mixer to beat 175g softened unsalted butter and 175g golden caster sugar together in a bowl until creamy and light in colour. Then add 1 large egg, still mixing.
• Sieve 50g cocoa powder, 100g self-raising flour and a pinch of salt into another bowl and add a third of that to your wet ingredients.
• Once combined, add 1 more large egg and another third of the flour mixture and work that in.
• Then add 1 more large egg and the remaining flour and beat until you have a smooth thick batter. If the batter is stiff, stir in a splash of milk to loosen it.
• Divide the mixture between the tins and smooth the top with the back of a spoon.
• Bake for 20-25 mins until springy to the touch. Take out of the oven and leave in the tins for 10 mins before turning out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
• Meanwhile, make the buttercream by melting 50g dark or milk chocolate in the microwave, or in a bowl over just simmering water, making sure the base doesn't touch the water. Leave to cool.
• Beat 85g softened unsalted butter and half of the 175g sieved icing sugar together until light and fluffy. Add the remaining icing sugar and melted chocolate and mix together. If the icing is runny, chill in the fridge until it is firm but still spreadable.
• To assemble the cake, put a small dollop of icing onto a plate and put one of the cakes on top. Spread the top of the cake with half the icing, leaving a 1cm border around the edge.
• Put the second cake on top and push down very gently. Spread the remaining icing over the top.