National Chocolate Day 2016: Three Delicious and Easy DIY Chocolate Cake Recipes

National chocolate day

Chocolate lovers are sure to be elated on a day dedicated to Chocolate. October 28, 2016, is National Chocolate Day, and it is a great day to treat yourself with some scrumptious chocolate. Are you smiling already, thinking of delicious chocolate cake?

Here are three chocolate cake recipes for you that will satisfy your craving. Bring your family together to make these recipes—even kids can join in. Read on and try these easy DIY chocolate cake recipes.

Three Easy Chocolate Cake Recipes

This National Chocolate Day, give yourself more reasons to celebrate with these easy cake recipes.

Super-Easy Chocolate Cake

Ingredients: 1 1/3 cups of plain flour, 1/3 cup cocoa powder, 1 tsp. bicarbonate of soda, 1 cup buttermilk, 1 cup caster sugar, 2 eggs, 125g butter (melted, cooled), 1 tsp. vanilla essence, 125g blueberries.

For Chocolate Icing: 1 1/3 cups pure icing sugar, 20g butter (at room temperature, chopped), 1 1/2 tbsp. cocoa powder.

Preparation: Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Take a 6cm-deep, 20cm round cake pan and lightly grease. Line the base with baking paper.

Take a large bowl and sift the flour, bicarbonate of soda, and cocoa powder. Mix in sugar. Combine buttermilk, melted butter, eggs, and vanilla in a jug. Make a well in the center of flour mixture. Pour in the buttermilk mixture. Combine, using an electric mixture beating on low speed. Increase speed to high. Beat till thick and creamy (or three to four minutes).

Pour the mixture into the prepared pan. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes (or until a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean). Cool pan for 5 minutes. Put onto wire rack to cool completely.

For the chocolate icing: Sift icing sugar and cocoa powder into a bowl. Add butter and 1 tbsp. of boiling water. Stir until smooth. Spread the icing over the cake and top it with blueberries. Allow the icing to set, then slice and serve.

Quick-Mix Chocolate Cake

Ingredients: 3 eggs, 1 1/3 cups (265g firmly packed) brown sugar, 3/4 cup (185 ml) milk, 125g butter (cubed), 1/2 cup (50g) cocoa powder, 1 cup (150g) self-rising flour, 1/4 tsp. bicarbonate of soda, 2 tbsp. plain flour, melted butter (for greasing).

Preparation: Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Lightly grease a pan (deep, square, 19cm base measurement) with melted butter. The non-stick cake pans will not be suitable for this cake recipe, as the pan retains too much heat and burns the base and sides of the cake. Line the base and the sides of the pan with non-stick baking paper.

Mix the sugar, milk, and butter in a large saucepan. Take a fine sieve to sift the cocoa powder and bicarbonate of soda through. A fine sieve will break any clumps, and will keep the mixture smooth and ensure the even texture of the cake.

Place a pan on medium-low heat. Use a whisk and stir until the mixture is smooth. Avoid boiling the mixture, as the overheating will lead to the liquid evaporating. Remove from heat and set aside to cool slightly. If the mixture is too hot, then the eggs will set when added.

Sift ½ cup of self-raising plain flour into the pan (use fine sieve). Use the whisk and stir until the mixture is smooth and has no lumps. Sift in the remaining self-raising and plain flour. Keep stirring until the mixture is smooth. Add eggs and continue stirring until well-combined.

Pour the mixture into the prepared pan. Tap the pan on a bench to release any large air bubbles. Bake in preheated oven for 45–55 minutes. Remove the cake and set aside for 2 minutes. Put onto a wire rack. Turn the cake right-way up and set aside for cooling.

Chocolate Mousse Cake

Ingredients: 2 tbsp. golden syrup, 4 eggs, 500g dark chocolate, 125g unsalted butter, 1 tbsp. caster sugar, 1 tbsp. plain flour (sifted), melted chocolate (for decoration), chocolate sorbet (to serve).

Coffee mascarpone: 2 tbsp. pure icing sugar, 2 tbsp. instant coffee, 200g mascarpone cheese.

Preparation: Preheat your oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Take a 20cm round spring-form cake pan, grease and line the base with non-stick baking paper.

Place the chocolate, golden syrup, and butter in a bowl. Melt by placing bowl over a saucepan of gently simmering water. Set aside to cool slightly.

Take an electric mixer and place eggs and sugar in the bowl (or use an electric hand beater). Beat on high for 10 minutes, or until the mixture is very thick and pale. Gently fold in the flour, then fold in the chocolate mixture until they combine.

Pour mixture into the cake pan. Bake on the middle shelf (for 12 minutes). Remove cake from oven (run knife around the edge of the cake, and remove collar from cake pan). Keep cake in the fridge for 1 hour (for cooling).

For the coffee mascarpone: Dissolve coffee in 1 tbsp. of boiling water. Set aside to cool. Beat together the coffee, mascarpone, and sugar in a bowl until stiff.

For the chocolate leaf: Brush non-toxic leaves with the melted chocolate. Peel off the leaf on cooling. Slice the cake. Serve with dollop of coffee mascarpone. Place a chocolate leaf on the top and a scoop of sorbet on the side. Add these chocolate cakes on your chocolate-to-do list. They are easy to make and splendid for your chocolate craving.


Sources:
“Top 10 chocolate cake recipes,” Taste web site; http://www.taste.com.au/recipes/collections/top+10+chocolate+cake+recipes, last accessed October 28, 2016.
Forrest, A., “Super-easy chocolate cake,” Taste web site, October 2007; http://www.taste.com.au/recipes/18086/super+easy+chocolate+cake?ref=collections,top-10-chocolate-cake-recipes.
Stais, D., “Quick-mix chocolate cake,” Taste web site, August 2000; http://www.taste.com.au/recipes/11526/quick+mix+chocolate+cake?ref=collections,top-10-chocolate-cake-recipes.
Little, V., “Chocolate mousse cake,” Taste web site, May 2002; http://www.taste.com.au/recipes/6438/chocolate+mousse+cake?ref=collections,top-10-chocolate-cake-recipes.