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Chocolate Cake
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General advice on freezing: "Most baked foods freeze extremely well,
but avoid taking up valuable space with recipes that keep well anyhow -
instead go for layer cakes, scones, and sponges that stale soon after
baking, because the freezer will keep them beautifully fresh for another
day. Take care to allow all items to become quite cold before freezing.
Avoid glace icings on cakes - they are inclined to go thin on thawing;
instead use a buttercream or fudge icing - and where cakes are decorated
or in any way fragile, 'open-freeze' them until firm, before packing."
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ingredients
125g (4oz) self-raising flour
5ml (1 teaspoon) baking powder
125g (4oz) quick creaming margarine (e.g. Stork or Echo block margarine)
125g (4oz) caster sugar
2 medium sized eggs
25g (1oz) cocoa powder
30ml (2 tablespoons) boiling water
for the chocolate fudge icing
75g (3oz) icing sugar
25g (1oz) cocoa powder
40g (1.5oz) butter (or margarine)
30ml (2 tablespoons) water
50g (2oz) caster sugar
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method
- Makes one 18cm (7in) sandwich.
- This cake is made using the modern quick mix method and for this
the new soft easy creaming margarine must be used. All ingredients must
be at room temperature.
- Sift the flour and baking powder into a basin. Add the sugar and
margarine. Crack in the eggs.
- In a small basin, blend the cocoa powder and boiling water to a smooth
paste. Add this to the mixing basin and, using a wooden spoon, stir to
blend the ingredients and then beat well for 1 minute to get a soft cake
mixture.
- Divide this mixture equally between two greased and lined 18cm (7in)
sponge cake tins and spread level.
- Bake in the centre of a moderate oven (180C, 350F, Gas Mark 4) for 25
minutes.
- Turn the cake layers on to a wire rack, remove the lining paper and
leave them to cool.
- Sift the icing sugar and cocoa powder for the chocolate icing into a
basin.
- Measure the butter, water, and caster sugar into a saucepan. Stir
over low heat until the sugar has dissolved and the butter has melted,
then bring just to the boil. Pour at once into the sifted ingredients
and mix to a smooth chocolate icing.
- Allow the icing to cool until it is thick enough to coat the back of
a wooden spoon. Sandwich the cake layers with some of the icing and spoon
the remainder on top. Leave until set firm.
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to freeze: Open-freeze the cake as a whole, or cut in portions.
When firm place in a freezer bag for storage.
to serve: Remove the cake from its wrapping while still frozen
and allow it to thaw on a plate at room temperature.
recommended storage life: 2 months.
notes:
- Glyn uses a food mixer instead of a wooden spoon.
- It doesn't seem to be necessary to line the cake tins.
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