Simple and easy chocolate cake
I have my ups and downs about living in the UK and sometimes I wish I could go back and live in Italy for good.
I love England as when it comes to work and how things work on a daily basis is a brilliant place to be and I love the English as they have a positive can-do attitude to life which is so important (I chose an English husband don't forget!).
On the other end I love the Italian lifestyle of going out for a passeggiata in the evening, having nice ice creams and aperitifs, having the beach on your doorstep and the mountains just an hour away. Italy is beautiful, has so much hystory and diversity of the landscape and the cultural influences that make the people and the places so interesting. At the moment though I seem to be having the best of both worlds as I go back to Italy quite often; for the future we will see.
Today I am sharing a simple chocolate cake which my beloved little sis Laura made for her boyfriend's birthday. I love this cake for its simplicity and delicate vanilla flavour.
Little sis, you are getting better and better in the kitchen, if we lived nearer we could make a good team!
- Prep Time : 25 minutes
- Cook Time : 40 minutes
Ingredients
- self raising flour - 250 g - 2 cups
- eggs - 4
- butter - 150 g - 2/3 cup
- vanilla pod - 1
- sugar - 150 g - 2/3 cup
- dark chocolate - 150 g - 7/8 cup
- milk - as needed
- For the topping:
- dark chocolate - 200 g - 1 + 1/8 cup
- fresh cream - 150 ml - 5 fluid oz
- apricot jam - 2 tbsp
- whipped cream - to serve
Instructions
Put 150 grams or 7/8 cup of chocolate in a bowl over a saucepan of simmering water and melt it.
Separate the yolks from the egg whites. In a bowl work the butter until soft, add the egg yolks, the sugar and mix well.
Make an incision on the vanilla pod and with the tip of a knife scrape off the seeds and add them to the egg mixture.
Add the melted chocolate and the sifted flour, mix well.
Add a few tbsp of milk (one at a time) enough to make a smooth texture that falls easily from the spoon.
Whip the egg whites until firm then gently add them to the mixture.
Pour the mixture onto a well greased round baking tin measuring approx 22 cm or 9 inch, level it well with a spatula and bake at 180 C or 350FÂ for about 40 minutes. Check with a toothpick after 35 minutes, if it comes out dry then the cake is cooked through.
Let the cake cool on a wire rack. Melt the jam in a saucepan over a source of heat with 2 tbsp of water and brush it on the cake. Set aside for 30 min.
Prepare the chocolate topping by bringing the cream to the boil, add the remaining chocolate until it melts completely then pour it on the cake. Level it well with a spatula all over the cake and let it cool down. Put it in the fridge to set.
Laura decorated it with white chocolate sprinkles. Serve with fresh whipped cream.
If you like chocolate cake check out my chocolate and hazelnuts cake.
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Sometimes a simple cake like this just really hits the spot, doesn’t it. My husband makes me a chocolate cake every year for my birthday.
Lucky girl! Really nice to have a chocolate cake made for you on your birthday đ
Che torta golosa, adoro le torte cioccolatose e semplici, brava anche tua sorella! Buona serata, baci!
Dear Alida,
I can understand what you mean about being in Italy. Even though I have never been there, it is where your heart and soul is. It is home, to you even though you live in jolly England. But like you said you have the two worlds that you are lucky to go back and forth.
This chocolate cake is so beautiful and it looks so moist. It almost reminds me of a cheese cake consistency. That must be the egg whites, also love the idea of the vanilla beans mixed in. From a chocolate lover this looks outstanding..Hope that Laura’s boyfriend had an enjoyable day! Thanks for sharing…
Hugs Dottie x đ
A wonderful chocolate cake, Alida. I prefer cakes without fattening butter frosting…sure, piped frosting makes the cake quite beautiful and fancy…but that’s all.
I agree with you entirely!
Adoro i dolci al cioccolato, sono irresistibili….. Brava Alida!
I totally sympathise with you when you sort of compare daily life in England with that in Italy. Italy draws you like a magnet and even more if you were born there. Of course at the moment you have the best of both worlds travelling back and forth quite regularly. Just enjoy it. Lovely chocolate cake Laura.
Grazie cara e buon weekend! x
semplice ma golosa e per questo ancor piĂš gradita !
Chocolate cake is a favorite! Looks delicious! xo Catherine
Wow Alida…giĂ dalle immagini che hai messo c’è da leccarsi i baffi! Non oso immaginare cosa si provi nel mangiarla!!! Grazie per la ricetta! unospicchiodimelone!
Grazie cara. Ciao!