Pan For Dark And Sumptuous Cake

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Nigella's Dark And Sumptuous Chocolate Cake (from SIMPLY NIGELLA) is a very moist and tender cake and is made in a springform pan so that the cake can be released easily after baking. Most 20cm/8-inch springform cake pans have a depth of approximately 7cm/2 3/4 inches, they can vary a little but a pan that is significantly shallower will have the cake batter rising up and spilling over as it bakes. The cake batter should come to about halfway up the tin.

The cake recipe includes bicarbonate of soda (baking soda) as the raising agent. It is a very active substance and should be measured carefully as too much could cause the cake batter to bubble up. Too much bicarbonate of soda will also cause the cake to sink on cooling and it will have a slightly bitter taste. The recipe asks for 1 1/2 teaspoons and this should be measured with a 5ml and a 2.5ml measuring spoon (they usually come together in a set) and should also be taken as a level measure and not heaped.