Mocha cake recipe
This deliciously rich, moist cake, adapted from a recipe given to me by my friend Claire Love, will satisfy the most intense chocolate cravings. I love the combination of dark chocolate and coffee, but this recipe works exceedingly well without the coffee, or you can ring the changes by flavouring the mix with a little ground cardamom or very finely chopped chilli or finely grated orange zest instead. For a softer, sweeter approach, replace the plain with milk or semi-sweet chocolate.
Ingredients
- 200 g Unsalted butter, cut into cubes
- 200 g Good quality dark chocolate, broken into small pieces
- 2 tbsp Strong filter coffee, or 1 tbsp instant coffee powder dissolved in 2 tbsp hot water
- 50 g Plain flour
- 50 g Ground almonds
- 5 Eggs
- 75 g Light soft brown sugar
- 100 g Caster sugar
- 1 tbsp Sifted cocoa powder, for dusting
Details
- Cuisine: Italian
- Recipe Type: Cake
- Difficulty: Easy
- Preparation Time: 15 mins
- Cooking Time: 45 mins
- Serves: 10
Step-by-step
- Preheat the oven to 180°C/Gas mark 4. Have ready a saucepan of simmering water. Put the butter, chocolate and coffee into a smallish heatproof bowl and set over the pan, making sure the base is not touching the water. Leave until melted, but don't let the mixture get too hot. Remove from the heat and stir until well combined
- Meanwhile, sift the flour into a bowl and mix in the ground almonds; set aside
- Separate the eggs into two large bowls. Add the brown sugar to the egg yolks and beat, using a hand-held electric whisk, until thoroughly combined and creamy
- Now carefully fold in the melted chocolate mix, making sure it is evenly combined - the chocolate has a tendency to sink to the bottom of the bowl, so dig down deep
- Whisk the egg whites and caster sugar together to soft peaks. Carefully fold the flour and almond mix into the chocolate mixture, followed by the egg whites and sugar
- Pour into the prepared tin (20cm springform cake tin, lightly greased and lined with baking parchemnt), and bake for about 40-45 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the middle comes out a little sticky. The aim is to slightly undercook the cake so it will be soft and a little sunken in the middle. Leave to cool in the tin
- Before serving, remove from the tin and dust with the cocoa. The cake is lovely eaten warm with a little cream. It will keep for 5 days in an airtight tin in a cool place
Also worth your attention:
More recipes from Pam Corbin
Book: Cakes (River Cottage Handbook)
Exceedingly good afternoon teas