FoodCoop Recipes
Ultimate Fairtrade Chocolate Cake
This is a great way to use up any leftover dark chocolate
Cook
50 minutes
Serves
18
Ingredients
For the sponges
80g Co-op unsalted butter, plus extra for greasing
400g Fairtrade caster sugar
150g bar Co-op Fairtrade dark chocolate, chopped
2 tbsp Co-op vegetable oil
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 large Co-op British eggs, beaten 225g Co-op plain white flour
30g Fairtrade cocoa powder
1 tbsp baking powder
2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
For the ganache
300ml Co-op double cream
2 x 150g bars Co-op Fairtrade dark chocolate, chopped
Method
Preheat the oven to 180°C/fan 160°C/gas 4, and grease and line the bases of two deep-sided 20cm round cake tins (not springform or loose-bottomed)
Put the sugar into a large nonstick saucepan along with 300ml water
Bring to the boil, then take off the heat and stir in the butter until completely melted
Add the chopped chocolate, stirring until smooth
Leave to cool for 10 mins
Stir in the vegetable oil, vanilla and beaten eggs
Sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and bicarb, then whisk into the wet ingredients until combined
Divide the mixture between the lined cake tins and bake for 24-32 mins, until the tops of the cakes spring back to the touch
While the cakes are in the oven, make the ganache
Put the cream into a small saucepan and heat gently until steaming and almost simmering
Take off the heat and stir well
Put the dark chocolate into a large bowl and pour the hot cream over the top
Leave to stand for 5 mins, then stir until the chocolate has completely melted
Press cling film directly onto the surface of the warm ganache (this prevents condensation from splitting the chocolate)
Allow to cool to room temperature, then chill in the fridge for 20 mins
When the sponges are ready, take them out of the oven and leave to cool completely in the tins
Once fully cooled, turn out and peel off the baking paper
Using an electric hand mixer or stand mixer, whisk the cooled ganache for 5-6 mins, until lightened in colour and fluffy
To assemble the cake, lift one of the sponges onto a cake stand or serving plate
Spread a thick layer of the whipped ganache across the sponge and sandwich with the other sponge
Spread the rest of the ganache across the top and sides of the cake and roughly smooth out
Keep the cake in the fridge until you‘re ready to serve, taking it out an hour beforehand to allow it to come to room temperature
Nutrition
Energy | Fat | Saturates | Sugars | Salt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1686kJ / 404kcal (20%) | 23.1g | 13.3g | 31.8g | 0.72g |
High · 33% | High · 66% | High · 35% | Medium · 12% |
Approx. per serving. % of adult’s reference intake. Carbohydrates per serving: 43g.
