Lockdown Birthday: 5-Step Easy Classic Chocolate Cake Recipe

Lockdown Birthday: 5-Step Easy Classic Chocolate Cake Recipe
X

I know it's hard to celebrate your birthday under lockdown but the easiest way to bring a smile on your face is by dropping the word, Chocolate Cake! I can't remember a birthday without cake and that too, if it's chocolate it has to be all things decadent. There are so many recipes out there with only 3-ingredients to make a cake but it's your birthday & I don't want you to compromise on the taste! And, the best part is if you're a beginner at baking, this step-by-step recipe of the classic chocolate cake recipe is heavenly! I bet you wouldn't miss your favourite chocolate cake from your nearby bakery any more.

Sometimes a chocolate cake can get too heavy, rich or creamy but this chocolate cake recipe is tried and tested a million times. I've used this recipe to celebrate so many birthdays that I can happily say that this is the moisest, the most decadent chocolate cake I've made & that you'll ever try. I've got this recipe from Cafe Delites (after trying out their World's fudgiest brownies, I was sold) & it's fool-proof. Thank you!

Also Read: If You're Not A Chocolate Lover, Here Are Some Lockdown Birthday Cakes To Try!

Enough about me raving about this drool-worthy cake. Let me give you a few tips before we start baking.

You'll most likely need only two bowls for this recipe as it is a very mess-free process. It's all about mixing the dry ingredients with the wet ones and you have your batter ready. You might think that the list of ingredients is a little too much considering the lockdown but trust me the method is so easy that anyone can literally bake this cake! I've not cut the cake into layers but you could, to make it look just like the ones we get in the market, for which you'll also need more frosting (so double the quantity mentioned below if you're doing this step). But, for the beginners, this recipe is all you need & you can slather your ganache right on top of this single layer.

www.indiafoodnetwork.in

Ingredients:

For the cake-

210 grams Maida

270 grams Sugar (you can add 40 gms more if you like it sweeter)

45 gms Cocoa Powder

1 tsp Baking Powder

1/2 tsp Baking Soda

1/4 tsp salt

1 tbsp Vanilla Essence

80 ml Oil (flavourless like canola or sunflower)

1 Egg (Replace the egg with 1/4th cup curd, as a substitution if not using an egg)

190 ml Milk

190 ml Instant Coffee Water (Mix 190 ml boiling water with 2 tsp of Instant Coffee)

For the Chocolate Ganache-

250 ml of Cream (I've used Amul Cream)

250 grams Chopped Dark Chocolate (I've used Morde, but you can use Vanleer, Callebaut, 2M or any flavoured artisanal chocolate too)

Method:

Step 1: Preheat your oven at 180 degrees and apply butter/oil to your cake tin or you can line it with parchment paper. I've used a 9" cake tin.

Step 2: In a bowl whisk your dry ingredients- flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

Step 3: In another bowl, mix all the wet ingredients- Oil, egg, vanilla essence, milk & coffee water (make sure it is hot)

Step 4: Now mix both the dry & wet ingredients well and pour into the cake tin. Bake for 45-50 minutes at 180 degrees.

Step 5: Allow it to cool completely & de-mould the cake before frosting it!

You can eat the cake as is or with some sweetened whipping cream on the side but we're going to double up the chocolate overdose with the decadent chocolate ganache.

Method:

1. In a pan, heat the cream until it comes to a boil.

2. Add in the chopped dark chocolate.

3. Whisk until you see no lumps in the ganache or silky. For a glossy look, you can add a dollop of butter to this mix.

Now slather the ganache on the cake covering every inch of the cake and let the frosting set. So, for all those who want to get a little adventurous and make layers, here's what to do- either using a serrated knife or normal, select the point from where it's half of the cake. Run the knife on the edges as a marker and then start slicing it slowly, trying to follow the markings. Also, do not try slicing it with dental floss (those techniques are well-practised before-hand & most of them are just great gimmicks!) Separate the two layers and then frost the layers evenly with a flat ladle or spatula. And, voila! Your classic chocolate cake is ready for the birthday girl/boy!

Shreya Jalavadia

Shreya Jalavadia

Think of her as a delicacy. She could be a red sauce penne pasta or refreshing strawberry smoothie. A little sweet, quite tangy and unapologetic on the palate. Her soul is that of a gastronome, mind of an illustrator and heart of a writer. She uses these ingredients to plate up tasty stories about food at India Food Network as an Associate Editor. Be it her blogs, articles, reviews or food shows; she promises a wholesome affair.

Next Story