Easy Chocolate Cake

Ingredients for Easy Chocolate Cake

• 1+¼ cup (140 g) all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder (dutched/dark)
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 2 pinches salt
• 1 cup (220 g) sugar
• 1 tablespoon vanilla essence
• ½ cup (1.2 dl) milk or water
• ½ cup (1.2 dl) vegetable oil (flavorless)
• 2 eggs

Ingredients for frosting

• 2/3 cup (1.6 dl) heavy cream or whipping cream
• 9 oz (260 g) semisweet chocolate (40-50% cocoa)

Instructions:

• Preheat oven to 350 deg F (Gas mark 4 or 180 deg C)
• Grease a 9 inch (23 cm) cake tin.
• Mix flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, salt, sugar and vanilla essence in a bowl.
• Add milk/water, vegetable oil and eggs.
• Mix everything together until smooth, either by hand or by using an electric mixer at slow speed. If the batter is too runny you may add slightly more flour.
• Transfer to bake tin and bake at 350 degrees until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean, approximately 35 to 45 minutes.
• After the cake has cooled, slice the cake through the middle to make two layers (easier if the cake has been in the fridge).

Frosting

• Heat 2/3 cup (1.6 dl) of heavy cream or whipping cream in a sauce pan.
• Remove from heat, add 9 oz (260 g) of finely chopped dark semisweet chocolate, stir until smooth, and let it cool until in thickens, if needed in the fridge.
• Use one 1/3 of the frosting between the two layers, 1/3 on top, and the rest around the cake. Put the cake into the fridge for one hour or more to harden the frosting.
• This cake should have room temperature when served.

Variations

• You may substitute 1-2 tablespoons of cream with rum for the frosting.
• You may cut the top of the cake to make a flat surface before adding the frosting.
• If you are making it for someone's birthday I would suggest doubling the recipe because this recipe makes for a short, thin cake (suggested by Cyrus, August 2008)
• If you prefer a slightly sweeter frosting you may add a couple of teaspoons of honey to the frosting (suggested by Debbie Evans, August 2008)
• Instead of vanilla extract, you may use an equivalent amount of freeze dried coffee (Suggested by Carol, October 2008)
• You may use ½ cup of freshly brewed coffee instead of milk or water to get mocca flavor (Suggested by Noreen, January 2009)

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