testblog: Chocolate Cake with After Eight Bars

This is not a piece of chocolate cake, it is a slice of pure exclusive goodness. This must be the ultimate treat for a chocolate-lover. Biting your teeth in a super fluffy and moist chocolatey chocolate cake covered with chocolate icing and After Eight bars. Could you think of anything better?

This chocolate cake was a "present" for my friend who is pregnant in 8th month. I was going to meet her after a while and asked her what she was craving for. "Cheesecake" she said with a lot of entusiams and excitement, but I had not the ingredients available so I asked her to make another choice and there she was "Chocolate Cake!!! I want chocolate cake".

I know it is easier to use the electric mixer, but believe me, you would want to put the extra effort in making the cake by hand because it will benefit and result in a extra fluffy and moist cake which you wont get if you use a electric mixer. The thing is that a electric mixer can over-mix ingredients such as eggs and result in a more compact cake.

I n g r e d i e n t s

2 tbsp cocoa powder
2 tbsp hot water
2 eggs, large (at room temperature)
100 g butter or margarine (at room temperature)
125 g sugar
90 g allpurpose flour
1,5 tsp baking powder
1 tbsp water (semi-cold)
1 tsp vanilla sugar or essence

1) Dissolve the cocoa in the water and leave to cool
2) Cream the butter or margarine and sugar together until light and fluffy and pale in color
3) Beat in eggs one at a time, followed by the cocoa mixture
4) In a small bowl mix 1 tbsp water with vanilla sugar or essence
5) Sift in the flour and fold in, followed by the vanilla mixture)
6) Pour into the prepared tin

Bake at 175C on the lowest slot for aout 30-40 minutes until firm to the touch and the cake pin comes out clean (start checking the cake after 25 minutes)

Grease and dust a springform about 18-20 cm with baking sheet on bottom

Mix 2 tbsp cocoa powder with 2 tbsp hot water in a small bowl and let cool

In a medum sized bowl combine sifted flour and baking powder

In a large bowl mix room temperated butter and sugar

Beat the butter and sugar until pale in color and fluffy with a wooden spoon by hands (15 minutes) or with a electric mixer on medium-high speed (5 minutes)

Add one beaten egg and beat for a few seconds until well-mixed

Add half of the cocoa mixture, beat for a few more seconds

Repeat the process (second beaten egg followed by cocoa mixture) once again

Carefully sift in the flour mixture

Followed by the vanilla mixture (In a small bowl add 1 tbsp water and mix it with 1 tsp vanilla sugar or 1 tsp vanilla essense)

Fold in using a spatula (DO NOT use the el-mixer!) with large movements until just combined

Pour in prepared tin and bake at 175C on the lowest slot in the oven for about 30-40 minutes

Let cool in the tin for some time and turn on a plate

ICING

I n g r e d i e n t s

60 g butter
2-3 tbsp cocoa powder
2 tsp vanilla sugar
200-250 g icing sugar
2 tsp coffee
4 tbsp hot water

1. Mix coffee with hot water
2. Melt the butter, add cocoa powder and vanilla sugar
3. Add icing sugar and mix with electric mixer until you get crumb-like mass
4. Add coffee, one tablespoon at time until you get a thick and smooth icing (do not use all coffee if not necessary)

In a medium sized bowl add melted butter, cocoa powder and vanilla sugar

Add the icing sugar

Mix using a electric mixer until you get crumb-like mass

Add coffee little by little while mixing until you get a thick and smooth glaze, butter the icing on the cooled cake and add garnish as desired, let icing set a little