SIMPLE DOUBLE CHOCOLATE CAKE

A simple, minimal and easy to be adored cake. Semi sweet and full of chocolate flavour. To be presented plain or decorated with seasonal fruits or flowers of your preference and resonance.

INGREDIENTS (makes 1 layered cake of 20 cm ⌀)

For the chocolate cake layers:
190 g cake flour
130 g granulated sugar
180 g good quality butter, softened at room temperature
128 g cocoa powder, Dutch processed
1 + ½ teaspoon (tsp) baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
½ tsp sea salt, finely ground
2 eggs at room temperature
360 g buttermilk (vegan alternative: oat mylk with 2 tsp apple cider vinegar)
40 g water

 For the whipped chocolate ganache:
180 g good quality dark chocolate with a minimum 50% cocoa
120 g heavy cream, to use for melting the chocolate (vegan alternative: plant-based cream preferably oat cream)
360 g heavy cream at room temperature, to add it later

 EQUIPMENT
2 spring forms of 20 cm ⌀
Stand or hand mixer
One tablespoon and one teaspoon
Knife
Cutting board
Whisk
Rubber spatula
Cooking pan + bowl (for the bain marie)
Mixing bowl
One beeswax wrap sheet or plastic wrap

EXECUTION

 + Preferably prepare the chocolate ganache and the cake layers one day before assembling the cake +

For the chocolate ganache:
Chop the chocolate into small pieces. In ‘bain-marie’, over low fire, warm up the chocolate together with 120 g heavy cream, until the chocolate melts. Remove it from fire and emulsify it - using a beamer or a whisk. Let it cool to room temperature and then add the remaining 360 g heavy cream. Cover the ganache with a piece of beeswax wrap sheet or plastic wrap and let it rest overnight in the fridge.

For the chocolate cake layers:
Grease the round spring forms with a generous layer of good quality butter and set them aside for later.
In a large mixing bowl, sieve in the cake flour, the cocoa powder, the baking soda, and the baking powder. Add the sea salt and mix well – using a whisk. Set aside for later.
In a stand or hand mixer – with the paddle attachment on – beat the softened butter for 2-3 minutes. Then add the sugar. Cream it for another 7 minutes until the butter is lighter in color and texture.
Add one egg and mix until it is completely incorporated in the butter. Then add the second egg and beat to a smooth mixture.
Gradually add 1/3 of the dry ingredients (cake flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, sea salt) and 1/3 of the buttermilk. Mix well. Continue with the rest portion of ingredients adding the water as well and mix well to a smooth and homogenous batter.
Divide the batter to your spring forms that you have previously thoroughly smeared with some butter. Bake the cakes in preheated oven at 160°C (conventional) for 40-45 minutes until you insert a wooden skewer in the middle of the cakes and it comes out clean. When ready, let them cool completely on a cooling rack.
When the cakes are cool, cut their uneven upper part to create straight cake disks for the built up.

 TIP: When the cake layers are completely cool, place them in the fridge for at least 30 minutes or optimal overnight (8 hours) wrapped in beeswax wrap or plastic wrap so that the containing fat in the cake firms up. In this way, it will be easier to cut the top of the cakes without them falling apart.

+ Assembling the cake +

Remove the chocolate ganache from the fridge, and let it rest at room temperature for at least 30 min before using it.
Then, in a stand or hand mixer - with the whisk attachment on - beat the ganache for 2-3 minutes until it has doubled in volume, it is fluffy and slightly lighter in color.
Start building the cake by placing the first cake layer on a plate and stabilize it with a small dollop of whipped chocolate ganache. Add 6 generous portions of the whipped chocolate ganache with a tablespoon and spread the portion to create an even first whipped ganache layer. Continue by adding the second cake layer. Add the remaining portion of the whipped chocolate ganache on top and decorate the cake with a swirl or any other shape that resonates with you. Let the cake rest in the fridge for at least 30 minutes to an hour in order for the ganache to set and stabilize the layers of the cake before cutting it.

TIP 1 : In order to keep the cake layers moist drizzle them with some light syrup that you can prepare by boiling 4 tablespoons sugar or honey with 150 ml water for 2-3 min. 

TIP 2: Pair this cake with seasonal fruits like baked pairs in the winter or vanilla ice cream in the summer months.

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Alexandra