Epic chocolate cake

A Sweet-dish recipe, by Gina Lioti.

A chocolate cake slice, next to the loaf cake

20 mins prep

45 mins cooking

“This recipe makes a very wonderfully rich and dark chocolate cake, that is as fun to make as it is to eat. Even if it fails and deflates, it is still presentable and tasty; in fact, you might even prefer it deflated*, as it changes texture and becomes moist in some places, but still airy and fluffy in others. It is also versatile; you can serve it plain, or with dusted powdered sugar, with icing, with fruit or whipped cream or you can even cut it in half horizontally and fill it with whatever you like and then top it with the icing of your choice to turn it into a beautiful cake.”

Gina Lioti

Here’s why you’re going to love this

A few tips for baking though, make sure all of your ingredients are at room temperature, as this ensures that your batter will not be chocked by the cold ingredients and during the baking the middle will not take longer to cook, because of your chilled eggs, or milk, or butter. Also, always use real, plain butter. What is more, make sure not to open your oven until the very end, otherwise your cake will not rise. You can also use two smaller baking tins (loaf type tins), instead of a large one, to make sure they will both rise as they should. But then again, it is as tasty when deflated, as it is more moist, so in that case try it in one large tin (angel food type tin). If you do use two loaf type tins and follow the instructions below, it will be so fluffy, you will not be able to wait for it to cool down.

The same mixture can be used to make cupcakes, just use half of the ingredients for 16 cupcakes.

If you have it, raw cacao butter elevates this cake immensely. Also, Jersey butter and milk, organic eggs and good quality sea salt or Himalayan. Also, should you come across a few tonka beans, make sure to grate one or two and add them with the vanilla. With all those together, this cake becomes more than a food; it becomes an experience.

*If you want to deflate it on purpose, when it is done, let it cool for a half hour, as you would, then cover it with a linen towel for a few seconds.

Ingredients

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Instructions

Melt the extra butter (you can do it in the microwave) and using a cooking brush, cover the inside of your tin(s) thoroughly. Dust with the extra flour or cocoa powder and leave aside.
Scrape the vanilla pod on top of your sifted flour and leave them aside, so that you can add them both together to the mixture later. Preheat your oven at 170°C (340 F).
Cream the butter well, until it is light, for about 3-4 minutes. Then add the sugar and mix together, until they become a fluffy, light and creamy mix. During all this process make sure you scrape the sides of your bowl. Don't beat both the butter and the sugar together from the beginning, you want to aerate the butter before adding the sugar. Scrape the bowl, very, very well between each stage.
With the mixer on low, add the eggs one by one, making sure each is incorporated into your mix, before you add the next one.
At this point, add the milk and mix for a few seconds more, until the mixture is smooth and even. Don't worry if your mixture becomes curdled, keep on mixing and the flour will correct the texture. Don't forget to scrape the bowl between each and every stage.
With your mixer on low, or preferably with a spatula, add the flour gradually and keep on mixing for about 30 seconds, or until the ingredients are all evenly mixed. But don't over-beat at this point, otherwise your cake will not rise.
While beating on low or using a spatula, gradually add the baking powder, salt and cocoa powder. To make sure all of your ingredients are mixed, scrape really well with your spatula and give it whisk with your mixer, for a couple of minutes.
When you are sure that your batter is evenly mixed, pour it immediately into your tin(s) and bake on 170°C for 45 minutes exactly. Don't let the batter sit, as the baking powder begins working as soon as it is mixed with the rest of your ingredients and the more you lave it out, the more is will fail to rise properly while baking.
This last step is optional, but at this point you might want to scrape the remaining of the batter from the bowl with your spatula and give it to your favourite person!