This recipe for the perfect chocolate cake started life in a bistro in the inner ring of Birmingham. When Throovest moved in as the chef, all the anaemic pastries and sweets were swept away to make room for some serious flavour. The chocolate cake in this run down operation had never really sold well, mainly because the mix lacked any serious chocolate content. This version addressed the problem and is very serious indeed.
Take 6 ounces of self-raising flour, 5 table spoons of cocoa powder - any supermarket brand will do, although a high grade Belgian cocoa will give it an extra buzz. Then taking 2 level table spoons of baking powder, put these 3 components in a mixing bowl or food processor and mix together. This next mixture is my personal favourite, but you can adjust to your own taste. We want to make up 8 ounces of fat content. My preference here is 2 ounces of olive oil, 3 ounces of margarine and 3 ounces of vegetable oil. Mix all this together with 4 beaten eggs, 8 ounces of caster sugar and add full cream milk until the texture is like a thick syrup.
12 OUNCES EQUALS
If time allows, let this settle in a cool place for a couple of hours. What is not generally known is that the starch elements in this mix will break down into more simple sugars (disaccharides) if left in liquid form. The longer you can leave it, the better. This process unlocks many of the more subtle flavours that are often neglected in flour and cocoa. But it's worth bearing in mind for curries, sauces and gravies. How many folk do you know who all say a curry tastes better the following day?
Tip the mixture into 2 equal sized baking tins making sure they are very well greased. The baking time should be just under an hour at 160 degrees, but test with a skewer at about 45 to 50 minutes. Conventional cooling when done, using raised wire mesh.
Trim the top of one of the halves. Then put your favourite jam between the two - maybe a smooth strawberry or raspberry jam is the best complement for the perfect chocolate cake, although some continentals use that famous hazelnut and chocolate paste for a death-by-chocolate experience. Certainly, this confection will stand a thick icing sugar and cocoa powder topping, but you might prefer a butter icing or ganache of your own choosing. For the Viennese touch, decorate with raspberries, strawberries or halved cherries - or all 3.
And there it is! A family favourite for all those who are not losing weight at the moment. But then again if you really want to indulge in the perfect chocolate cake, you can't possibly be a calorie counter!
The Perfect Chocolate Cake - Throovest's Classic Confection 12 OUNCES EQUALS
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