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Nigella Lawson

'Chocoholics Anonymous' Cake

Print Recipe
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Servings: 8
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

For the cake
  • 200 gram (7 oz) all-purpose flour
  • 200 gram (7 oz) granulated sugar, powdered
  • 175 gram (6.2 oz) unsalted butter, softened
  • 60 gram (2.1 oz) unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 0.5 tsp baking soda.
  • 125 ml sour cream
  • A good generous splash of Vanilla Extract/ vanilla bean paste
  • 2 eggs, room temperature.
  • 2-3 tbsp strong coffee decoction (optional)
  • 1 cup hot water, to thin batter as necessary
For the icing
  • 75 gram (2.6 oz) unsalted butter, cold
  • 175 gram (6.2 oz) good quality dark chocolate (60-70% cacao), roughly chopped
  • 300 gram (10.5 oz) icing sugar
  • 1 tbsp corn syrup (optional)
  • 125 ml sour cream (or substitute with thick, creamy, fresh yogurt)
  • 1 tbsp vanilla extract / vanilla bean paste

Method
 

Make the cake
  1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F. Grease and line two 8 inch round cake tins with parchment paper.
  2. Sift the dry ingredients (Flour, baking soda, baking powder, cocoa). Set aside.
  3. In a large bowl, cream the butter and the sugar using an electric whisk till the sugar has completely dissolved.
  4. Add eggs one at a time and beat well until incorporated. Stir in the vanilla extract, coffee (optional and sour cream.
  5. Gently fold in the dry ingredients using a spatula. Do not whisk. You may add hot water as necessary until you get a free flowing batter.
  6. Divide the batter into the prepared cake tins immediately, smoothing the top.
  7. Bake at 180°C/350°F for 20-30 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean.
  8. Cool the cakes in their tin on a wire rack, then remove the cakes and let them sit on the wire rack until you ready the icing.
Make the icing
  1. Sift the icing sugar to remove lumps. Set aside.
  2. In a double boiler, melt butter and chocolate until smooth. Remove from heat and let cool.
  3. Add corn syrup, vanilla, sour cream to the cooled chocolate. Mix well until combined.
  4. Add this chocolate mixture to the sifted icing sugar and whisk until fluffy and creamy.
Assemble
  1. Cut four strips of baking paper and lay it in a square, overlapping each other on the cake stand.
  2. Place one of the 8 inch cakes on the prepared cake stand.
  3. Spoon 1/4th of the icing on top of the cake and spread. Sandwich with the other 8 inch cake.
  4. Spoon half of the remaining icing on the top of the cake, smoothing it over the top and the sides best you can.
  5. Any remaining icing you can use to pipe designs on the cake.
  6. Chill in the fridge for half hour before serving.