New favourite chocolate cake

Before I started this blog I often searched the internet for new recipe ideas in addition to my cook books, especially for cakes which don’t use butter as I have to watch the amount of dairy (and fat in general) I consume.  I’m not sure how I came across this blog but it a wonderful read and more that 90% of the recipes I feel compelled to make myself.  Mainly Baking has a really delicious chocolate cake with a filling that I’d never thought of using before; chocolate frosting, marzipan and apricot jam.  It’s epic!

Suelle calls her cake Chocolate Fudge Cake with Apricot and Almond Filling and I made it a couple of weeks ago.  It has now become our favourite chocolate cake, especially as my husband loves marzipan and it has made its way into our family cookbook. The actual cake recipe is from the daily mail online – http://www.dailymail.co.uk/home/you/article-2148153/Recipe-Deep-chocolate-celebration-cake-marshmallow-frosting.html

Chocolate Cake

75g • 3oz cocoa
200ml • 7fl oz boiling water
¾ tsp bicarbonate of soda
4 medium eggs
375g •13oz light muscovado sugar
175ml • 6fl oz groundnut oil
200g • 7oz self-raising flour sifted

I mixed the cocoa with the water, until very thick and smooth and then added the bicarb which added volume to the mix.  I left it whilst I prepare my tins and other ingredients.  Preheat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4 and line two loose-bottom cake tins 20cm across and at least 5cm deep (8in x 2in) according to the recipe.  I only have 7″ round tins so I used them and made 3-4 muffins with the remaining mix (cake to test for me).

I lightly whisked the eggs, sugar and oil in a bowl and then stir in the flour, followed by the cocoa solution.  Poured equal quantities (by eye) into my 7″ tins with muffin tray near by the remaining mix.  I checked them at 25 minutes because they were smaller tins but in total they took 30 minutes.  8″ tins call for 30-35 minutes baking. Clean skewer was my guide.

Chocolate Frosting from Mainly Baking

175g plain chocolate
30g butter
2 tbsp golden syrup
3 tbsp milk

Melt chocolate and combine with rest of ingredients, cool until thickened.

I used Bonne Maman apricot preserve on the bottom cake followed by a thin disc of marzipan and a third of the chocolate frosting.  Popped the second layer on top and used the rest of the frosting.

Thank you for reading and thank you Suelle for posting this on your blog Mainly Baking