Easy Chocolate Recipes : Chocolate Layer Cake

Chocolate Layer Cake

The cake layers can be made ahead, wrapped and frozen for future use. Always thaw cakes completely before icing.

Serves: 10-12
Ingredients
Cocoa powder for dusting
225 g / 8 oz can cooked whole beetroot, drained and juice reserved
115 g / 4 oz / 8 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
500 g / 1¼ lb / 2½ cups (packed) light brown sugar
3 eggs
15 ml / 1 tbsp vanilla essence
75g / 3 oz unsweetened chocolate, melted
275 g / 10 oz / 2½ cups plain flour
10 ml / 2 tbsp baking powder
2.5 ml / ½ tsp salt
120 ml / 4 fl oz / ½ cup buttermilk
Chocolate curls (optional)

For The Chocolate Ganache Frosting
475 ml / 16 fl oz / 2 cups whipping or double cream
500 g / 1¼ lb fine quality plain chocolate, chopped
15 ml / 1tbsp vanilla essence

1. Preheat the oven to 180 C, 350 F, Gas 4. Grease two 23 cm / 9 in cake tins and dust the base and sides with cocoa. Grate the beetroot and add it to the juice. With an electric mixer, beat the butter, brown sugar, eggs and vanilla for 3-5 minutes, until pale and fluffy. Reduce the speed and beat in the chocolate

2. Sift the flour, baking powder and salt into a bowl. On a low speed, alternately beat in the flour mixture (in quarters) and the buttermilk (in thirds).

3. Add the beetroot mixture and beat for 1 minute. Divide between the tins and bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted in the centre comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes, unmould and cool completely.

4. To make the frosting, heat the cream in a heavy-based saucepan over a medium heat until it just begins to boil, stirring occasionally.

5. Off the heat, add in the chocolate, stirring constantly until melted and smooth. Stir in the vanilla. Strain into a bowl and refrigerate, stirring every 10 minutes, for about 1 hour, until spreadable.

6. Assemble the cake. Place one layer on a serving plate and spread with one third of ganache. Place the second layer over and spread the remaining ganache over the top and side of the cake. If using, top with the chocolate curls. Allow the ganache to set for 20-30 minutes, then refrigerate before serving.

Easy Chocolate Recipes : Simple Chocolate Cake Recipe

Simple Chocolate Cake Recipe

An easy, everyday chocolate cake which is delicious simply filled with chocolate buttercream.

Serves: 6-8
Ingredients
155 g / 4 oz plain chocolate, broken into squares
45ml / 3 tbsp milk
150 g / 5 oz / 2/3 cup unsalted butter or margarine, softened
150 g / 5 oz, scant 1 cup light muscovado sugar
3 eggs
200 g / 7 oz / 1¾ cup self-rising flour
15 ml / 1 tbsp cocoa powder
Icing sugar and cocoa powder, for dusting

For The Chocolate Butter Cream
75 g / 3 oz / 6 tbsp unsalted butter or margarine, softened
175 g / 6 oz / 1½ cups icing sugar
15 ml / 1 tbsp cocoa powder
2.5 ml / ½ tbsp vanilla essence

1. Preheat the oven to 180 C, 350 F, Gas 4. Grease two 18 cm / 7 in round sandwich cake tins and line the base of each with non-stick baking paper. Melt the chocolate with the milk in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of barely simmering water.

2. Cream the butter or margarine with the sugar until pale and fluffy. Add the eggs one at the time, beating well after each. Stir in the chocolate mixture until well combined.

3. Sift the flour and cocoa over the mixture and fold in with a metal spoon until evenly mixed. Scrape into the prepared tins, smooth level and bake for 35-40 minutes, or until well risen and firm. Turn out on wire racks to cool.

4. To make the chocolate butter cream, place all the ingredients in a large bowl. Beat well to a smooth, spreadable consistency.

5. Sandwich the cake layers together with the butter cream. Dust with a mixture of icing sugar and cocoa just before serving.

Easy Chocolate Recipes : 6 Commonly Types of Chocolate

6 Commonly Types of Chocolate

1. Plain Dark Chocolate (Luxury, bitter or continental chocolate)
This type has a high percentage of cocoa solids (about 75 percent) with little or less of sugar.

2.Plain Chocolate
Plain chocolate is the most widely available chocolate for use in cooking. It contains between 30 and 70 percent of cocoa, so check the label before you buy. The higher percent of cocoa, the better the chocolate flavor will be.

3. Milk Chocolate
This comprises powdered or condensed milk and generally has around 20 percent cocoa solids. The flavor is mild and sweet. Although this is the most popular eating chocolate, it is not as suitable as plain chocolate for melting and cooking purpose.

4.White Chocolate
This does not contain any cocoa solids, but gets its flavor from cocoa butter. It is sweet, and the better quality white chocolate is quite rich and smooth. White chocolate must be melted with care as it does not withstand heat as well as plain chocolate and is liable to stiffen if allowed to get too hot.

5.Cocoa
This is made from the pure cocoa mass after most of the cocoa butter has been extracted. The mass is roasted, and then ground to make a powder. It is probably the most economical way of giving puddings and baked goods a chocolate flavor.

6.Chocolate Chips
These are small pieces of chocolate of uniform size, convenient for stirring directly into biscuit dough or cake mixture, or for melting. They contain fewer cocoa solids than ordinary chocolate, and are available in plain dark, plain, milk and white.