CELEBRATION CHOCOLATE CAKE

 15/2/2015 & 16/2/2015 -  Mother & daughter celebrate birthdays together.  Making this chocolate cake &

chocolate cupcakes for this special occasion.  Before that we had lunch at Nandos in Alamanda

then my daughter cut her birthday cake at home...

CELEBRATION CHOCOLATE CAKE
adapted from  :  you tube 'Chef Eric Lanlard'; thanks....
tried by   :   zaralovebaking, (moist, chocolatey & delicious)...




Ingredients :

  50  gm  pure cocoa powder
150  gm  golden caster sugar
100  gm  dark muscovado sugar
125  gm  unsalted butter
225  gm  plain flour
    1  tsp  baking powder
    2  tsp  vanilla extract
    2  tsp  coffee extract
    2  eggs


For the ganache topping :

  30  gm  dark muscovado sugar
300  gm  dark chocolate, finely chopped
175  gm  unsalted butter


Method :

1.  Preheat the oven to 180'C/fan.  Grease and line a round 18 cm baking tin.  Set aside.

2.  In a saucepan, mix 125 ml boiling water with the cocoa powder, caster sugar and dark muscovado sugar.  Mix in the butter, bring to the boil then remove from the heat. 

3.  In a large bowl, sieve the flour and baking powder.  Add the cocoa mixture into the flour and stir well, then add the vanilla extract and coffee extract.  Crack in the eggs and mix well to combine.

4.  Spoon the batter into the prepared tin and bake for 50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.  Leave to cool on a wire rack in it's tin.

5.  For the ganache  :  In a saucepan, bring 125 ml water and the sugar to the boil until sugar dissolved.  Place the chocolate in a bowl and pour over the hot water mixture; stirring until melted.  Slowly add in the softened butter until you get a lovely glossy ganache.

6.  Once the cake is cool, remove from the tin and spread with the ganache.  Decorate as desired.