Chocolate Cake

What is your ultimate chocolate cake? Everyone seems to have an inborn chocolate cake expectations.

Okay, this is MY chocolate cake. I am a chocolate lover and so was constantly discouraged by chocolate cakes I tried to make. Now finally this is it.

It fulfills my chocolate cake expectations. Moist but not wet chocolate sponge cake and most importantly the icing is just perfect. It is so tempting by itself but combined with chocolate cake layers it is perfect. Soft and caramel-y. The icing does not contain any sugar but has a secret ingredient - boiled condensed milk, which is super easy to make.

What is YOUR chocolate cake expectations? I would love to read them in the comments.

As always, ask questions if you have any

Boil your condensed milk to get the delicious caramel used in the icing. It is very easy.

Cover two cans fully with water in a pot and put over low. Let it simmer for 4.5 hours. Then take out to cool.

NOTE: MAKE sure the top of the can is always covered with water. Otherwise it will explode. One of my friends had such a mishap and she had to scrub the ceiling.

8 eggs - it is important to use eggs straight from the refrigerator, they must be cold

300 grams sugar

200 grams flour

6 tablespoons baking cocoa powder

1 and 1/4 teaspoon baking powder

I used a round 9 inch baking pan. Line the bottom with baking parchment paper.

Sift flour plus cocoa through a sifter into a bowl

Leave out cut up 1 and 1/2 cup of butter on the counter to soften. It is needed for the icing.

Separate the egg yolks from the egg whites into two different mixing bowls.

Add approximately half of the sugar to the yolks.

Beat the egg whites until foamy. Add the rest of the sugar and beat until stiff.

Beat egg yolks with half of the sugar for 3 minutes.

Add half of the whipped egg whites to the egg yolks. Mix with a spatula carefully from the top to the bottom.

Add baking powder to the cocoa-flour mixture and mix.

Add flour to the batter. Mix using a spatula with quick movement from the top to the bottom.

Add the rest of the egg whites and mix it in using a spatula.

Bake at 180 C or 350 F for 40 minutes and check readiness with a pick.

Let cool in the baking pan. Just use a knife to go between the pan side and the cake to make sure it does not stick to the side.

You will need equal parts of liquid and sugar. I used 1/4 cup water plus 1/4 cup rum and 1/2 cup sugar.

Combine in a small pan and bring to boil over low. Boil for 1 minute then turn off. Let cool for a bit. Syrup does not have to be cooled completely to be used.

You will need:

softened butter 1 and 1/2 cup

1 and 1/2 cans boiled condensed milk

4 tablespoons cocoa powder

Beat butter then add 2 cans of condensed milk. Beat until smooth.

Add cocoa powder and beat. The chocolate-caramel icing is ready!

Remove the cake from the pan. Flip it and peel the parchment paper from the bottom. Using a wet knife, slice the cake into two lengthwise. Try to make them approximately the same thickness.

Using a brush rum syrup brush the two cakes. Brush the lower layer more then the top one since you will be flipping it over and do not want it to be soggy.

Using a spatula, cover the lower layer with icing and flip over the top layer on.

Cover the cake with the remaining icing on the sides and on top.

Transfer the cake to a serving plate. Cover. Refrigerate overnight for the icing to set.

For decoration make chocolate shavings by chopping a chocolate block with a very sharp knife.

I used frozen cranberries and a few twigs from my indoor evergreen to decorate the cake.

Let the cake stand a bit for the buttercremCut into wedges and serve! Thank you