We are meeting after a small gap, right? I was actually planning to take a small break from blogging. No particular reason, just like that. But then, June is a special month for MariasMenu. MM's b'day falls on this month and this year we turn 7! So it's been 7 years that our relationship started. I hope you dont feel the 7 year itch ;)
I cant believe that it's been 7 years that I've started chatting and cooking with you! It's been a long journey, but YOU made it a pleasant one with your wonderful company.
Initially you came here alone, checked out the place and left. The next time you came, you got involved with the place and stayed for some time. Later on, you brought your friends and family with you and had a picnic here :) All the while, I tried my best to make this a better place for you, to offer something new every time you came. I wanted you to have a memorable experience at this place. I'm not sure how much I succeeded in doing that, but I wanted to give it my best always.
Thank you for being with us and blessing us with your presence, comments and feedback.
Here's a birthday cake recipe. I've made this cake twice in a month's time, once for one of our friend's anniversary and then for another friend's b'day. What I liked most about the recipe is that, it uses little fat compared to other recipes. Also the cake isn't too sweet even with the icing. As I've told you before, I don't like cakes that are too sweet. I've tried it with Chocolate Ganache and Chocolate Cream Cheese frosting. They both pairs well with the cake. I'm posting the recipe for Cream Cheese Icing here, but if you want to have ganache icing, check it out here. If you are looking to make a layered chocolate cake, this is a good recipe. It rises well and comes out perfectly levelled.
Here is the recipe…
Cake recipe adapted from here.
Ingredients
- 1 3/4 cup Plain flour
- 2 cups Sugar
- 3/4 cup Cocoa powder
- 2 tsp Baking soda
- 1 tsp Baking powder
- 1/2 tsp Salt
- 1 cup Buttermilk (shaken (refer notes for substitute))
- 1/2 cup Vegetable oil (I used Sunflower oil)
- 2 extra large Eggs (room temp (refer notes))
- 1 tsp Vanilla essence
- 1 cup Hot coffee (refer notes)
For Chocolate Cream Cheese Icing
- 200 gms Cream cheese (softened (I used Philadelphia full fat cream cheese))
- 175 gms Unsalted Butter (softened)
- 225 gms Semi sweet chocolate (I used Hershey's semi sweet choc chips)
- 1 tsp Vanilla essence
- 1 3/4 – 2 cups Icing sugar
For sugar syrup
- 1/3 cup Sugar
- 1/3 cup Water
For chocolate Shards
- 125 gms Baking chocolate
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F / 180 C. Prepare two 8-inch or 9 inch cake pans – Line with parchment, then butter and flour the pans.
- Sift the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment and mix on low speed until combined.
- In another bowl or large measuring cup, combine the buttermilk, oil, eggs, and vanilla, gently whisk. With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the wet ingredients to the dry. With mixer still on low, add the coffee and stir just to combine – scrape up from the bottom to catch any pesky flour mixture hiding below.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pans and bake for 35 to 40 minutes. Cool in the pans for 30 minutes, then turn them out onto a cooling rack to complete cooling.
- For the icing
- Melt the chocolate in MW or using a double boiler method. Let it cool. Cream together the softened cream cheese and butter. Make sure there are no lumps. Add Vanilla essence and mix well. Add melted chocolate. Combine. Add 1 cup of icing sugar and mix well. Do a taste test and add the rest of the icing sugar accordingly and combine well.
- For the sugar syrup
- Mix together water and sugar. Heat it till the sugar dissolves and let it boil. Remove from fire and let it cool completely.
- For Chocolate shards
- Melt 125 gms of baking chocolate in MW or using a double boiler method. Spread the melted chocolate (there is no need to cool it) on a parchment/baking paper. Cover it with another parchment paper of same size. Roll it into a tube, refrigerate it with the seam side down for 2 hours. Unroll the tube and the chocolate will crackle itself. Shards is ready. Use as per your liking. Check out the video here, to see how it's done.
- Assembling of the cake
- The cake has to be cooled completely before icing. Place one of the cakes on a cake board & brush it with sugar syrup, make sure the entire cake is brushed. Place some icing on top of it & spread using a spatula. Place the other cake on top of this and repeat the process. After the top layer is placed and covered with icing, apply the icing around the sides as well. Now you can decorate the cake with Chocolate shards.
- Refrigerate the iced cake. Keep the refrigerated cake @ room temp for 20-30 mins, before serving.
Can we make this cake without egg also…what can be used in place of egg
Hi Archana,
I havent tried this particular recipe without eggs and I’m not sure how to make it egg free. However I’ve posted an eggless Chocolate cake recipe earlier, please have a look at it, if you are interested.
https://mariasmenu.wpcomstaging.com/desserts/eggless-chocolate-cake
Wish you a Happy New Year!
Cheers
Maria
I tried this to zn this also toooo gd thanks alot!!????????
Thanks Alice for trying out the cake recipes :)
this recipe is an absolute keeper and this will be THE chocolate cake for me from here on as I have already baked this cake 3 times now… ita perfect 10/ 10 cake for me :) attached a pic of the cake I made last week using your recipe :) Keep up the great work!
happy Anniversary!! :D I cant help but notice that u put up a new pic of yours maria.. . this one’s more chic but then I loved the old black n white one!! :D the cake looks yum and I especially love the idea of a ribbon around it.. makes cake look very very tempting!!
[P.S. pls could u post a chocolate pavalova recipe..plss??]
Thanks Keerti for the wishes :) Yeah thought I’d add some extra colour to the website ;)
I havent tried a pavlova yet, anyway’s I’ll keep it in mind…
Cheers
Maria
happy Anniversary!! :D I cant help but notice that u put up a new pic of yours maria.. . this one’s more chic but then I loved the old black n white one!! :D the cake looks yum and I especially love the idea of a ribbon around it.. makes cake look very very tempting!!
[P.S. pls could u post a chocolate pavalova recipe..plss??]
What a beautiful cake..I too dont like very sweet cakes and not the very dark bitter ones too..this seems like a right one :)Congrats on ur 7 th anniversary ,thats a long journey indeed…Keep going, I will come again for a picnic :)
Thanks a bunch Vineetha :) Looks like we have similar taste in cakes..
Hope you’ll have a wonderful picnic here ;)
Cheers
Maria
Hey Maria
Nice to see a recipe from you after a long time, and I kept wondering why am I not seeing any new recipes coming from you :)
The recipe looks awesome. I will muster the courage soon to bake it :)
Take Care
Thanks Priya :) I took a small break in between, that’s why. Btw, this is a simple recipe, only that it looks a bit complicated :) Hope you get to try this soon…
Cheers
Maria
Congrats MM on completing 7 years! Admire your patience and hard work in maintaining this space and making it better everyday! here’s to many more!
Thanks a lot di :)