RECIPE: Try this decandant chocolate cake in commemoration of “Cake Day”

Whether chocolate or carrot, cheesecake or red velvet, pretty much everyone enjoys a slice of cake.

In commemoration of Cake Day, observed every year on November 26, why not try Capsicum Culinary Studio alumnus, Khashifah Ismail’s decadent chocolate cake.

Khashifah runs her own cake making company called Pastry by Hatice (Instagram: @pastry_by_hatice) and caters for all occasions.

Khashifah Ismail’s Decadent Chocolate Cake

Ingredients

250g soft margarine

1½ cups castor sugar

4 eggs

4 tsp baking powder

4 tbs cocoa powder

2½ cups all-purpose flour

1 tsp vanilla essence

400g dark chocolate, chopped

400ml whipping cream

2 tbs butter  

Method

1. Pre-heat oven to 180°C and place a rack in the centre. Line two 20cm x 20cm square pans with baking paper.
2. Place the margarine and sugar in a bowl and using a hand-held beater with a paddle attachment, beat until light and fluffy.
3. Add the eggs, one at a time, and continue to beat between each egg.
4. Add the vanilla essence and mix until all ingredients are well combined.
5. In a large bowl, sieve together the flour, baking powder and cocoa powder and mix well.
6. Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, mixing in slowly until well combined and lump-free.
7. Pour half the batter into each cake tin (I always weigh the batter to get the exact amount into each pan) and bake for 35 minutes.
8. Insert a cake skewer into the middle and if it comes out clean, the cakes are done.
9. Leave to cool for 10-15 minutes then remove from their tins.
10. Next, make sugar syrup by heating half a cup sugar and half a cup water until the sugar dissolves.
11. When cool, use a pastry brush to apply the syrup to both cakes as this will keep them moist and allow the chocolate ganache to stick to the cake more effectively.
12. For the chocolate ganache, heat the cream until just before it starts to boil then remove from the heat and pour it over the broken-up chocolate stirring all the while so the chocolate melts.
13. Add the butter and mix well so the ganache is shiny. Leave to cool overnight.
14. To assemble: Cut the cakes in half so you have 4 layers. Whip the ganache to a piping consistency, place into a piping bag and apply it until it covers the entire cake. Set in the fridge until firm then slice, serve and eat!

Source: JAG Communications