“Chocolate symbolizes, as does no other food, Luxury, Comfort, Sensuality, gratification and Love” Karl Petzke. This chocolate cake is moist, rich, decadent and very comforting. A real “mood” food.
Whenever chocolate is mentioned, there is an excitement that goes through the body and the mind. Chocolate might be the most loved flavour in the whole world, by both kids and grown-ups. It represents romance, it brings euphoria, it calms raw nerves, it douses anger, and on, and on. It is an excellent Christmas dinner centrepiece.
Chocolate cake is always a crowd pleaser, and this chocolate cake recipe is simple and easy, it is made with cocoa powder. Using cocoa powder instead of chocolate makes a difference because cocoa powder has a more intense chocolate flavour than chocolate. This is because cocoa powder has a higher proportion of cocoa solids to cocoa butter than in chocolate and the chocolate flavour comes from cocoa solids. Cocoa powder cake, especially when made with oil, is tender, dark, moist and intense in flavour.
To make chocolate cake
1¾ cups flour ¾ cup cocoa powder 2 teaspoons baking soda 1 teaspoon baking powder 1 teaspoon salt 2 cups sugar 1 cup buttermilk ½ cup vegetable oil 3 eggs 1 teaspoon vanilla essence 1 cup fresh brewed hot coffee or (Instant coffee made up of 2 tablespoons coffee to 1 cup of hot water)
Preheat oven to 180°C, brush an 8-inch round cake pan with butter or oil and lightly dust with cocoa powder.
Sift flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt into a bowl, add sugar and mix until well blended.
Make a well in the middle.
In a separate bowl, mix together buttermilk, vegetable oil, eggs, and vanilla essence.
Slowly add buttermilk mixture into flour mixture and mix until well combined.
Add coffee and stir well. The batter will be very fluid (watery) at this point, don’t be tempted to add more flour, or you will end up with a dense and hard cake.
Pour into the prepared pan. Smooth the top, bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until a skewer inserted in the middle, comes out clean.
Cool for 10 minutes in the pan, then run a knife between the cake and the pan and turn out on a wire rack.
Cool completely before frosting.
Fillings and Frostings
Chocolate frosting, chocolate buttercream, fondant, fudge frosting, cream cheese frosting, chocolate syrup etc.
Tips
- For how to make buttermilk, HERE.
- Using cocoa instead of flour to dust pan after greasing is to avoid white speck on the surface of the cake when baked.
- Pack brown sugar well into the cup when measuring it.
Storage
When wrapped tightly in plastic wrap or aluminium foil, the cake can be stored at room temperature for 1 to 2 days, in the refrigerator, for one week, in the freezer, for 4 to 6 months.
If you enjoyed my Chocolate cake, you will also enjoy my Easy Pound cake, Healthy beetroot cake, Red velvet cake or this delicious fruit cake.
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