Nadiya Hussain's espresso chocolate cake recipe
Craving something indulgent, chocolatey and downright delicious? This simple-to-make espresso and chocolate cake – courtesy of none other than Great British Bake Off champion Nadiya Hussain – could be just what you're after. Made with oil and hot water, it's the moistest chocolate cake imaginable. And not only that, it never dries out, even when it's left out on the kitchen worktop!
The addition of coffee granules to both the cake batter and ganache topping helps to enhance the cake's rich cocoa flavour, making it extra special. However, if you're baking with (or for) the kids, you can remove the coffee altogether and stick to pure chocolate. Alternatively, try experimenting with extracts like vanilla, peppermint or orange to really make the bake your own.
With just a few easy-to-find ingredients and a breezy 35 minutes' prep time required, this is a great recipe to have up your sleeve – whether you fancy baking up a storm for a special occasion or you're simply in the mood for a sumptuous afternoon snack.
Things to note:
For this recipe, you will need a 20cm (8in) round cake tin.
For US ingredients and measurements, use the drop-down menu and select ‘Cups’.
Ingredients
- 1 tsp oil, for greasing
- 225 g plain flour, sifted
- 350 g caster sugar
- 85 g cocoa powder
- 1.5 tsp baking powder
- 1.5 tsp bicarbonate of soda
- 250 ml whole milk
- 2 medium eggs, lightly beaten
- 125 ml olive oil
- 250 ml boiling water
- 3 tbsp coffee granules
- 1 tsp oil, for greasing
- 7.9 oz plain flour, sifted
- 12.3 oz caster sugar
- 3 oz cocoa powder
- 1.5 tsp baking powder
- 1.5 tsp bicarbonate of soda
- 8.8 fl oz whole milk
- 2 medium eggs, lightly beaten
- 4.4 fl oz olive oil
- 8.8 fl oz boiling water
- 3 tbsp coffee granules
- 1 tsp oil, for greasing
- 7.9 oz all-purpose flour
- 12.3 oz superfine sugar
- 3 oz cocoa powder
- 1.5 tsp baking powder
- 1.5 tsp baking soda
- 1.1 cups whole milk
- 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
- 0.5 cup olive oil
- 1.1 cups boiling water
- 3 tbsp coffee grounds
- 250 g dark chocolate (70%), chopped
- 200 ml boiling water
- 1 tbsp coffee granules
- 100 g milk chocolate, shaved, to serve
- 8.8 oz dark chocolate (70%), chopped
- 7 fl oz boiling water
- 1 tbsp coffee granules
- 3.5 oz milk chocolate, shaved, to serve
- 8.8 oz dark chocolate (70%), chopped
- 0.8 cup boiling water
- 1 tbsp coffee grounds
- 3.5 oz milk chocolate, shaved, to serve
Details
- Cuisine: British
- Recipe Type: Cake
- Difficulty: Easy
- Preparation Time: 35 mins
- Cooking Time: 55 mins
- Serves: 12
Step-by-step
- Preheat the oven to 170°C/150°C fan/340°F/gas mark 3, then line and grease a 20cm (8in) round cake tin. Set aside.
- Place the flour in a large bowl along with the caster (superfine) sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder and bicarbonate of soda (baking soda). Whisk everything together until all the dry ingredients are mixed through.
- Make a well in the centre of the mixture and pour in the milk, then crack in the eggs. Pour in the olive oil and whisk until you have a thick batter.
- Pour in the boiling water, along with the coffee, and mix it all through – you will have a very runny cake batter.
- Pour the batter into the lined, greased tin. Bake on the middle shelf of the oven for 55 minutes, until a skewer comes out clean and the cake is coming away from the edges of the tin.
- Take out of the oven and leave to cool completely in the tin.
- Make the ganache by putting the dark chocolate in a bowl. Pour in the boiling water and sprinkle over the coffee granules (coffee grounds).
- Mix until the chocolate has melted and you have a smooth ganache. To make it more quickly (and for an ultra-smooth result), you can mix it using a stick blender.
- Pour the ganache all over the cake and spread it out evenly.
- Sprinkle over the shaved milk chocolate, then pop the cake into the fridge and leave it to chill completely so the ganache can set.
- Take the cake out of the tin, place it on a serving dish and cut it into slices.
Recipe adapted from Cook Once, Eat Twice by Nadiya Hussain (Penguin Michael Joseph). Photography by Chris Terry.
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