Rich Chocolate Snack Cake Recipes

SERIOUSLY RICH CHOCOLATE CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 170C/Gas 3/fan oven 150C. Grease a 23cm/9in springform cake tin and line the base with greaseproof paper or baking parchment. Dust the sides with a little flour. Put the chocolate and butter into a heatproof bowl set over a pan of gently simmering water. Heat until melted, then remove the bowl from the pan and stir until smooth. Leave for about 5 minutes to cool slightly.
• Stir in the egg yolks, ground almonds, and the liqueur, if using. Put the egg whites into a large bowl, add a pinch of salt and whisk until soft peaks form. Continue whisking, sprinkling in the sugar a little at a time, until stiff peaks form. Stir 2 tablespoons of the whites into the chocolate mixture, then carefully fold in the remainder until no traces of white are left.
• Spoon the mixture into the prepared tin and bake for 30-35 minutes until well risen and just firm to the touch. Cool in the tin (don't worry if the cake sinks and cracks slightly - it will still be fine). You can make the cake up to this stage up to four days ahead and keep it in an airtight container in a cool place. It also freezes well for up to one month.
• To serve, remove the cake from the tin and peel away the lining paper. Sift cocoa powder liberally over the top and cut into slices. Serve with crème fraîche.

MOIST AND RICH HOMEMADE CHOCOLATE CAKE!

Steps:

• Set oven to 350 degrees.
• Cut parchment paper circles to fit three 9 inch cake pans, or 2 larger cake pans (depending on the size and style of cake you want to create).
• Alternatively, this recipe will make about 3 1/2 dozen cupcakes, using muffins tins lined with cupcake papers.
• Sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
• Set aside.
• Whisk the cocoa and coffee together until smooth (no lumps).
• Set aside.
• In a large mixer bowl, cream butter (about 1 minute), add oil, beat for one minute.
• Add sugars, beat for 10 minutes.
• Add eggs, beat 5 minutes.
• Add vanilla, beat until blended.
• Alternately add coffee and cocoa mixture and dry ingredients into butter mixture, mixing after each addition, making sure to scrape the sides of the bowl often.
• Pour into prepared pans.
• Bake for about 25 minutes, or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.
• If making cupcakes, bake for about 20 minutes.
• Spread frosting over layers, and frost entire cake.
• Another delicious idea is to melt jam until it's syrup consistency (if using raspberry jam, make sure you strain it!) and brush the tops of the layers with the melted jam before frosting them.

CHOCOLATE SNACK CAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F. Grease bottom and side of 9-inch round pan or 8-inch square pan with shortening; lightly flour.
• In medium bowl, mix flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda and salt. In small bowl, stir oil, vinegar and vanilla until well mixed. Vigorously stir oil mixture and coffee into flour mixture about 1 minute or until well blended. Immediately pour into pan.
• Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 15 minutes. Serve warm or cool with ice cream.

SUPER RICH CHOCOLATE POUND CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325*F.
• Grease and flour a 10" fluted tube pan.
• In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; set aside.
• In another large bowl, using an electric mixer on high speed, cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.
• Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
• Blend in the vanilla.
• In 3 additions each, beat in the flour mixture and sour cream just until combined.
• Do not overmix.
• Pour batter into the prepared pan.
• Bake for 60-70 minutes, or until the center tests done.
• Cool 10 minutes in pan; invert onto a wire rack and cool completely.

BEST MOIST CHOCOLATE CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour a 9x13 inch pan. Sift together the flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
• In a large bowl, cream together the margarine and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the vanilla. Beat in the flour mixture alternately with the milk, mixing just until incorporated. Pour batter into prepared pan.
• Bake in the preheated oven for 40 to 45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Allow to cool.

RICH CHOCOLATE CAKE

Steps:

• Position a rack in lower third of oven and preheat to 350F.
• Line the bottoms of two 9x2-inch round pans with parchment paper.
• Melt chocolate in microwave (LOW or MED), stirring occasionally until smooth.
• You may use a double boiler too (make sure water is HOT, not simmering).
• Cool chocolate until tepid.
• Sift flour, cornstarch, baking soda and salt into a large mixing bowl.
• Add brown sugar.
• Using a paddle blade on electric mixer, combine the ingredients on low speed.
• Add butter and sour cream.
• Mix on med-low speed for 1 min to make a thick batter.
• Add eggs, melted chocolate and vanilla.
• Increase speed to high and beat for 2 mins.
• Stop and scrape down the bowl.
• Resume mixing at med-high, for about 5 sec.
• Reduce speed to low and slowly pour in the water just until thoroughly blended.
• Spoon batter into prepared pans and spread it evenly.
• Bake until tops spring back when pressed lightly in the centers and a toothpick inserted into the centers comes out clean, 30-35 mins.
• Transfer to cooling racks and cool for 10 mins.
• Invert onto racks and remove pans.
• Peel off the parchment and cool the cakes right side up.
• NOTE: The cake can be baked 1 day in advance.
• Wrap the cooled cake layers tightly with plastic wrap to store.
• Or to freeze, over-wrapped with foil, for up to 2 weeks.

RICH CHOCOLATE GANACHE CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350˚F. Grease two 6-inch pans with butter or nonstick cooking spray.
• Pour the Devil's Food Cake batter into the prepared pans and bake, as directed, adjusting the cooking time to 25 to 30 minutes for the smaller size.
• While the cakes are cooling, bring the ganache to a workable consistency (about the consistency of peanut butter) by heating it over a double boiler and then allowing it to cool slightly, at room temperature.
• Place the bottom cake layer over a piece of parchment or waxed paper to catch the ganache if it drips when you spread it. (You can reheat the ganache that has dripped and reuse it as desired, as long as it is free of cake crumbs.)
• Spread the ganache about 1/2 inch thick onto the bottom layer and then gently press the second cake layer on top. Spread a thin layer of ganache around the sides and top of the cake as a crumb coat and let it set at room temperature. (See Icing a Cake, page 14.)
• Once the crumb coat has set, reheat the ganache, if necessary, just until it is spreadable once again, then finish icing the cake with the ganache.
• While the ganache is still soft enough for the hazelnuts to stick to it, gently press the hazelnuts, one small handful at a time, into the sides of the cake until it is covered. Let the cake set at room temperature for 20 to 40 minutes before serving.
• The cake can be kept covered at room temperature for up to 2 days or in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Bring the cake to room temperature for about 1 hour before serving.
• Polish your look
• By simply changing the flavor of the ganache, this cake can be perfect for all sorts of occasions. Here are some suggestions:
• For an Asian-inspired dinner party, make the ganache with sake instead of hazelnut liqueur and sprinkle the top lightly with mixed black and toasted sesame seeds.
• For anniversaries or other celebratory events, make the ganache with champagne instead of hazelnut liqueur and decorate around the perimeter of the top with rock sugar crystals.
• For holiday cheer, make the ganache with peppermint extract instead of hazelnut liqueur and sprinkle with crushed candy canes.
• For a not-all-chocolate version, make the ganache with Campari or Grand Marnier instead of hazelnut liqueur and use it only to fill between the two cake layers. Ice the outside with orange Citrus Cream Cheese Icing (page 146) and garnish with candied orange peel.

RICH CHOCOLATE CAKE

Steps:

• Grease and line a deep 23cm round cake pan.
• Combine butter, essence, sugar, eggs, sifted flour, cocoa and water in a large bowl and beat on low speed with electric mixer until ingredients are combined.
• Increase speed to medium, and beat for about 3 minutes or until mixture is smooth and changed in colour.
• Spread into prepared pan.
• Bake in a moderate oven for about 1 1/2 hours.
• Stand 5 minutes before turning on to wire rack to cool.
• Spread cold cake with icing.
• Chocolate Icing: Melt chocolate and butter in bowl over hot water, gradually stir in sifted icing sugar, then stir in enough hot water to mix to a spreadable consistency.

ULTIMATE CHOCOLATE CAKE

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 160C/fan 140C/gas 3. Butter and line a 20cm round cake tin (7.5cm deep).
• Put 200g chopped dark chocolate in a medium pan with 200g butter.
• Mix 1 tbsp instant coffee granules into 125ml cold water and pour into the pan.
• Warm through over a low heat just until everything is melted - don't overheat. Or melt in the microwave for about 5 minutes, stirring halfway through.
• Mix 85g self-raising flour, 85g plain flour, ¼ tsp bicarbonate of soda, 200g light muscovado sugar, 200g golden caster sugar and 25g cocoa powder, and squash out any lumps.
• Beat 3 medium eggs with 75ml buttermilk.
• Pour the melted chocolate mixture and the egg mixture into the flour mixture and stir everything to a smooth, quite runny consistency.
• Pour this into the tin and bake for 1hr 25 - 1hr 30 mins. If you push a skewer into the centre it should come out clean and the top should feel firm (don't worry if it cracks a bit).
• Leave to cool in the tin (don't worry if it dips slightly), then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely. Cut the cold cake horizontally into three.
• To make the ganache, put 200g chopped dark chocolate in a bowl. Pour 300ml double cream into a pan, add 2 tbsp golden caster sugar and heat until it is about to boil.
• Take off the heat and pour it over the chocolate. Stir until the chocolate has melted and the mixture is smooth. Cool until it is a little thicker but still pourable.
• Sandwich the layers together with just a little of the ganache. Pour the rest over the cake letting it fall down the sides and smooth over any gaps with a palette knife.
• Decorate with 50g grated chocolate or 100g chocolate curls. The cake keeps moist and gooey for 3-4 days.