Perfect Chocolate Cake

I don't use the word perfect that often, I feel that once you use it you are pretty much done and when it comes to cooking and food what else is there once you get to perfection?

However I can really say that this cake is just that: perfect! I cannot think of anything I would change in this recipe, this is how a chocolate cake should be: tasty, moist but not soggy, sweet but not TOO sweet......just perfect!


I got the recipe by combining 2 different recipes plus a few changes I came up with, and I believe the end result is pretty good (if I might say so )

Ingredients:

• 50g best quality cocoa
• 200g sour cream
• 1 3/4 cup all purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 cup sugar
• 2/3 cup brown sugar
• 4 eggs
• 2 tablespoons vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon salt

Frosting:

• 350g dark chocolate
• 225g butter
• 250g icing sugar
• 1 tablespoon milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:

For the Cake:

1. Preheat the oven at 180C and butter two medium baking tins or one large one
2. Mix the flour, sugar, baking soda and baking powder in a large bowl.
3. Stir in the soft butter and the sugar and mix together.
4. Whisk the sour cream, cocoa, vanilla and egg and beat this into your flour mixture.
5. Pour the batter into the prepared tins and bake for 25-35 minutes or until a wooden pick comes out clean.
6. Allow the cakes to cool down for at least 10 minutes.

For the Frosting:

1. Melt the chocolate in a blow over a saucepan of boiling water.Leave to cool slightly.
2. Beat the butter, sugar, milk and vanilla until smooth.
3. Add the melted chocolate until thick and creamy.

Plating up and serving:

1. If you used to baking tins: place one cake on a cake platter, spoon 1/3 of the frosting on the center of the cake and spread with a knife or spatula until you have covered the whole top. Cover with the other cake and spread the rest of the frosting on the top and sides.
2. If you use just one cake baking tin: once the cake has cooled off, carefully slice it in the middle, remove the top and add the frosting. Place the top side back on it's place and use the remaining frosting to cover the whole cake.

Tip: I sometimes replace the inner layer of frosting for some good quality peach or strawberry jam, this makes the chocolate flavor more intense in the end and makes the cake a bit lighter.

The frosting can be stored at room temperature for up to 3 days.