This chocolate cake recipe is one of my favourites – which is saying a lot to be honest as I like cake in general, so it has a fair few others to beat. I’ve just come back from a little trip to London with Adam to watch WWE RAW – the only thing we really have in common other than the kids and an odd sense of humour – and while I was there I decided I wanted to head to Harrods on the second day for a mooch around and to go to the chocolate restaurant. I’ve been before and I always over do it, but washing down a £9 slab of chocolate fudge cake with a chocolate elixir milkshake was probably the reason I felt queasy for the rest of the afternoon and why I’ve been having chocolate cravings since.
Is this as good as Harrod’s Godiva chocolate fudge cake with hot melted chocolate sauce and fudge ganache? No, don’t be daft, but it’s also not £9 a slice so go with it.
For the Chocolate cake:
- Butter, for greasing the pans
- 210g plain flour, plus more for pans
- 400g caster sugar
- 90g good cocoa powder
- 2 teaspoons bicarbonate of soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 240ml buttermilk, shaken
- 120ml vegetable oil
- 2 eggs, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla essence
- 240ml freshly brewed hot coffee (this will enhance the chocolate flavour)
For the Ganache:
- 200g Dark Chocolate
- 1 240ml carton of double cream
- 2 tbsp golden caster sugar
Preheat the oven to 180°C/gas mark 4. Grease 2 (20cm) round cake pans and line with parchment paper.
Combine your flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder and salt in a bowl and mix. I use a kitchen aid electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment and mix on low speed until combined.
In a separate bowl, mix the buttermilk, oil, eggs, and vanilla. Slowly add the wet ingredients to the dry whilst stirring constantly (see why I use the mixer now – lazy.) Add the coffee and stir just to combine, scraping the bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula to make sure you get everything. Pour the batter into the prepared pans and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean. Cool in the pans for 30 minutes, then turn them out onto a cooling rack and cool completely.
To make the ganache, you need to add the cream, sugar and dark chocolate to a saucepan and bring to simmer until everything is dissolved. Turn off the heat and allow to cool, it should thicken as it cools. Once it’s done, spread liberally over the cakes and in between.
Yum!
H x
Oh wow, this looks so divine, I just want to pinch a slice!
Sorry Michaela, its allllll gone!
This looks like the most amazing cake I have ever seen, me and my daughter are going to attempt to make it!
Wow this cake looks amazing! I am a huge fan of chocolate cake (but not many other) so will have to try it out. We made one last week for my daughters birthday and think we’ll share the recipe because it was so lovely!x
This looks absolutely delicious and I can’t wait to have a crack at making one!
I would demolish that cake in a heartbeat! Looks delicious! Too bad I can’t bake to save my life…
Oliver • http://suedeandsymphony.com
I would demolish that in a heartbeat. Looks absolutely delicious!! Too bad I can’t bake to save my life!! 🙁
Oliver • http://suedeandsymphony.com
Ah, looks amazing! And so good not to have to pay £9 a slice! That is crazy for a cake! x
That looks delicious, my teenager daughter is a bit of a chocaholic, so I made need to make this to get in her good books!
I am a massive sucker for cake – especially chocolate cake, This cake looks divine, it is something I would love to create this weekend for all of my family.
That looks soooooo good, I fancy chocolate after seeing that 😉
Good grief, that looks AMAZING! I’m bookmarking this to make when my son comes home from uni
Thanks Mellissa!
Thanks for the recipe, I’ll be trying this with the kids.
Enjoy Renna!
This cake looks delicious and now has me eating chocolate cake so bad x
That cake sure does look delectable I love chocolate cake especially with a cup of tea!
Oooh this looks delicious Harriet, I love chocolate cake too. x
This looks totally divine Harriet! So rich and so much chocolate!!!
Chocolate cake… my favorite in the world! Thanks for this recipe! Definitely will try this out.
That looks amazing! I’m literally drooling on my screen as I type. I couldn’t part with £9 for a single slice of cake but I’d happily make this and stuff my face with it 🙂
I would love to make this cake of these for one of our parties. I’m very curious about that hint of coffee flavor.
This looks so yummy, I really need to start baking and my girls would love this cake. Wow £9 a slice of cake 😮 xx
This cake looks very yummy. I really need to bake, not baked in ages..
If it is cake it gets a thumbs up from me. Cake can be the solution to a lot of problems x
oooo So naughty but delicious 😀 Not made anything like this before.
This looks absolutely delicious – we all love chocolate cake and this sounds heavenly! Kaz x
oh wow this sounds amazing right now – its been one of those days and I want cake haha x
This looks soooo delicious! I love chocolate cake! But at the moment trying to keep my weight the same for the last stage of pregnancy!
Oh my goodness yes please! I would just love a slice now with a cup of tea! x
This looks soooo good. Need to try and make this ❓ ❓
Oh my goodness this looks and sounds delicious! I’ve pinned it to try it out for myself thank you for sharing it x
Chocolate cake! Yum! My favourite. I haven’t made a chocolate cake for ages. You post has inspired me, I’m also going to try your recipe. IF it goes well (and it doesn’t always haha) I’ll blog about it and give you a link back, if you;d like 🙂 Thank you for sharing xx
Beautiful, my two would love this, they are proper chocolate addicts!
Give it a go Oana! H x
Delicious! I love chocolate cake! Got to be one of my favourites, up there with lemon drizzle! Perfect for any occasion! Especially just to eat whenever!
With a cuppa and a book in a quiet place! Hell yes! H x
Ohhh yum. I’m not a huge cake fan in general, but I DO love chocolate cake. That thick chocolate icing looks amazing!
It was awesome Becca! H x
You can’t beat a good chocolate and this looks delicious, I will have to try it out. Thank you x
Let me know how it goes Cathy x
oh this looks so yummy. I cant have chocolate anymore but i’m sure my family would demolish this!
Oh no Angela! At least they can enjoy it though xx
Wow this cake sounds amazing and I’m really trying to eat healthily. I might have to pop to the chocolate place in Harrods though some time because if you’re going to have a treat you want to to it right x
Oh Rhian, it is lovely – though £36 for 2 milkshakes and a cake each is insane!! H x
A chocolate restaurant!!!! I know where I am heading next time I go to London sounds heaven. Your chocolate cake looks delicious and I’m sure it got eaten up too x
It is one of the best parts of Harrods, far too expensive but what isn’t in there! H x
That looks like the perfect chocolate cake. I might have to make some to celebrate the weekend 🙂
Thanks Dannii x
Oh my! This looks like heaven. I need some in my tummy right now x
I’ll send some over sarah! H x
Ooh now this looks lush! I would love a slice with my morning brew please! Good tip about coffee enhancing the chocolate flavour x
Thanks Sam – it really helps! H x
It may not be as good as harrods but it looks delish to me!! I haven’t made a chocolate cake in sooo long, I think I may have to make one at the weekend now!! 🙂 xxx
Yay – give it a go, it’s super tasty! H x
Oh I do love chocolate cake and I’m always on the look out of new recipes 🙂
It’s the best isn’t it?! I would highly recommend this one!
Chocolate cake is my favourite and i will always chiose it if were out. This looks and sounds amazing and I may have to give it a go. Ive never cooked a chocolate cake before so not sure how it will turn out.
It’s just so scrummy right? x
Love the recipe. I usually make a cake on Sundays so I’ll give this a go as it has been a while since I made a chocolate cake!
I love that you make cake on Sundays! x