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OLD FASHIONED CHOCOLATE CAKE

If you're going to get started, this is the cake you should begin with. Not just because it's simple, though it is but because it is, for me, essence of chocolate cake: melting, luscious and mood-enhancingly good. A food technologist would explain this in terms of "mouthfeel" but I don't know quite how that makes me feel. I often describe this cake as a sort of idealised chocolate cake out of a packet, which doesn't sound so very inviting either. But what I mean by this, is that the cake looks and tastes perfect and has that melting, smooth lightness - immensely chocolately but far from rich. The fact that it is scarcely harder than making one out of cake-mix (only worlds better) is an added joy. The recipe itself is an evolved version of a couple of cakes I've done before, and although the amounts and ingredients are slightly fiddled with, the real change, and an improvement in terms of ease, is that it can be made, all in one, in the processor.

Recipe posted by Nigella

Ingredients

  • Nigella Recipe
  • Vegetarian

FOR THE CAKE:

  • 200g plain flour
  • 200g caster sugar
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
  • 40g best-quality cocoa
  • 175g soft unsalted butter
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 teaspoons real vanilla extract
  • 150ml sour cream

FOR THE ICING:

  • 75g unsalted butter
  • 175g best quality dark chocolate, broken into small pieces
  • 300g icing sugar
  • 1 tablespoon golden syrup
  • 125ml sour cream
  • 1 teaspoon real vanilla extract
  • Sugar flowers, optional

Method

Serves: Makes about 8 slices
  1. Take everything out of the fridge so that all the ingredients can come to room temperature.
  2. Preheat the oven to gas mark 4/180°C and line and butter two 20cm sandwich tins with removable bases.
  3. Now all you have to do is put all the cake ingredients - flour, sugar, baking powder and bicarb, cocoa, butter, eggs, vanilla and sour cream - into a food processor and process until you have a smooth, thick batter. If you want to go the long way around, just mix the flour, sugar and leavening agents in a large bowl and beat in the soft butter until you have a combined and creamy mixture. Now whisk together the cocoa, sour cream, vanilla and eggs and beat this into your bowl of mixture.
  4. Divide this batter, using a rubber spatula to help you scrape and spread, into the prepared tins and bake until a cake tester, or a thin skewer, comes out clean, which should be about 35 minutes, but it is wise to start checking at 25. Also, it might make sense to switch the two cakes around in the oven halfway through cooking time.
  5. Remove the cakes, in their tins, to a wire rack and let cool for 10 minutes before turning out of their tins. Don't worry about any cracks as they will easily be covered by the icing later.
  6. To make this icing, melt the butter and chocolate in a good-sized bowl either in the microwave or suspended over a pan of simmering water. Go slowly either way: you don't want any burning or seizing.
  7. While the chocolate and butter are cooling a little, sieve the icing sugar into another bowl. Or, easier still, put the icing sugar into the food processor and blitz. This is by far and away the least tedious way of removing lumps.
  8. Add the golden syrup to the cooled chocolate mixture, followed by the sour cream and vanilla and then when all this is combined whisk in the sieved icing sugar. Or just pour this mixture down the funnel of the food processor on to the icing sugar, with the motor running.
  9. When you've done, you may need to add a little boiling water - say a teaspoon or so - or indeed some more icing sugar: it depends on whether you need the icing to be runnier or thicker; or indeed it may be right as it is. It should be liquid enough to coat easily, but thick enough not to drip off.
  10. Choose your cake stand or plate and cut out four strips of baking parchment to form a square outline on it (this stops the icing running on to the plate). Then sit one of the cakes, uppermost (ie slightly domed) side down.
  11. Spoon about a third of the icing on to the centre of the cake half and spread with a knife or spatula until you cover the top of it evenly. Sit the other cake on top, normal way up, pressing gently to sandwich the two together.
  12. Spoon another third of the icing on to the top of the cake and spread it in a swirly, textured way (though you can go for a smooth finish if you prefer, and have the patience). Spread the sides of the cake with the remaining icing and leave a few minutes till set, then carefully pull away the paper strips.
  13. I love to dot the top of this with sugar pansies - and you must admit, they do look enchanting - but there really is no need to make a shopping expedition out of it. Anything, or indeed nothing, will do.
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Comments

  • Can you add what size cake tins to use please??? New to cooking lol

    Posted by cockerjoe on 29th Apr 2011 at 0.11

  • That's one great recipe... I've made it a couple of times and it's my friends favorite :) Every time i have to make it double to get a piece of my own.. It's so simple and fun to make. Just have to love it!

    Posted by vaaarikass on 1st May 2011 at 12.48

  • This was as Nigella states, very easy to make, though because it's so chocolatley the kitchen was covered. The icing was delicious and the cake did turn out exact as the picture. My complaint would be that the cake itself was rather dry as though it were a day or two old and needed cream to make it more edible. Now I've only made it once, so I'll try again to see if there is a slight difference the next time.

    Posted by LizzieM on 2nd May 2011 at 15.53

  • I recently entered this cake for a local competition. I WON!!!. I have never won anything. It just goes to show how easy it was to make.!!! This cake was light, moist and was just too easy to eat!!! ( No good for the diet)

    Posted by BarbaraTB on 19th May 2011 at 11.50

  • lovelly cake.. it's just perfect!!.. i'll tray this recipe this weekend..

    Posted by michiale on 24th May 2011 at 22.02

  • This is my favourite cake.

    Posted by Dee22 on 28th May 2011 at 6.35

  • This is a really easy cake to make, and tastes absolutely delicious. Now this is me saying so, as I made it for my daughters 19th birthday and I'm not a chocolate cake lover, but this one.... Yum! If I were to bake it again, I'd probably add a different filling but this one does work very well indeed. Chocoholicks will love it!!!!

    Posted by SeagullMagic on 29th Jun 2011 at 9.17

  • This was srumbumptious. Making it in my KitchenAid Mixer really helped, although I used single cream instead of sour and the icing really is now very very runny! Thanks for this great recipe Nigella. x

    Posted by antbonia on 9th Jul 2011 at 20.34

  • Made this cake for Girls Club 4th Aug 2011 with Charlotte & Summer's help :) So easy to make in the kitchen whiz!

    Posted by Sheree Ellen on 4th Aug 2011 at 6.43

  • 200grams plain flour = 14.05 tablespoons Same for sugar

    Posted by abdelevan on 7th Aug 2011 at 12.03

  • I made this cake for my son's birthday. It was fantastic! Recipe very easy to follow & the icing was yummy. Will be making this cake for all my family birthday's from now on.

    Posted by Cal on 24th Aug 2011 at 11.06

  • I have used this cake for the last 2 years as the family birthday cake. It is easy to make and easy to eat, everyone loves it.

    Posted by auntieweeza on 10th Sep 2011 at 22.57

  • I would hate to think how many times I've made this. Don't make it for friends and family unless you love making it...you will be asked to make it again and again and............

    Posted by Doudou on 12th Sep 2011 at 9.15

  • i made this cake and the ladies really enjoyed, my only problem was when i put the icing on the cake split apart. i am making another one today can you please tell me what went wrong. many thanks for a brilliant web page, my wife and i watch tour shows all the time. best regards paul.

    Posted by paulsmith147 on 22nd Sep 2011 at 9.53

  • Hello, can anyone tell me if I could use this recipe for cupcakes instead of cakes?. Thanks V

    Posted by coro on 23rd Oct 2011 at 12.11

  • How long will the cake keep please? I've assumed I can store the sponge for a couple days before icing, but once the icing is on do I need to refrigerate it overnight? No time to do it on the birthday morning!

    Posted by LesTroubadours on 28th Oct 2011 at 9.27

  • Without a doubt, it's the best chocolate cake I've ever made.....the cake is not overly sweet but the lovely "ganach" is. The two combined make an enjoyable end to a meal. Thank you Nigella.

    Posted by Doudou on 17th Nov 2011 at 9.05

  • Made this cake today for my Daughters birthday. Hopefully will be nice. Only question is as it is very sweet - don't quite understand the need for golden syrup! Also think the icing might be a bit firmer without it. x

    Posted by GreatExpectations on 18th Dec 2011 at 18.46

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