BEST EASY CHOCOLATE CAKE RECIPES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350° with the oven rack in the middle. Spray two 9" round cake pans with cook­ing spray and line the bottoms with parchment paper. For the cake: In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine butter and 1 cup water and heat until the butter is melted. In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, sour cream and vanilla. In a large bowl (or the bowl of a stand mixer), whisk together flour, granulated sugar, brown sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Add the butter mixture and use an electric mixer on low speed to mix until just combined. On medium speed, mix in the sour cream mixture.Dividing evenly, scrape the batter into the prepared pans. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cakes comes out with a few moist crumbs attached. Place the pans on a wire cooling rack and let cool for 25 minutes. Run a paring knife around the edge of each cake to loosen it from the pan, then invert the cakes onto the rack, remove the parchment, and let cool completely. Make the frosting: Put the chocolate chips in a medium bowl. In a small saucepan over medium heat, heat the cream until hot. Pour cream over chocolate and let stand for 1 minute. Now gently whisk until creamy and smooth. Scoop out 3/4 cup of the chocolate mixture into another bowl and set aside the remaining frosting for now. Let the 3/4 cup of the mixture cool, stirring occasionally, for about 1 hour, or until it’s spreadable, creamy, and holds its shape. Place one cake on a serving plate, bottom side up. Spread the top with frosting in an even layer all the way to the edge, then top with the other cake, bottom side up. Gently reheat the remaining frosting by filling a medium saucepan with 2 inches of water and placing over medium heat. Let come to a low simmer. Place the bowl of frosting over the water (the bottom of the bowl should not touch the water). Stir until it is melted and pourable. Immediately pour the frosting over the top of the cake. With a metal spatula, quickly spread it to evenly cover the top and let the frosting drip down the sides. Once the frosting is set, slice and serve.

Steps:

• Heat oven to 190C/170C fan/gas 5. Butter the base and sides of two 20cm round sandwich tins and line the bases with baking parchment.
• In a large bowl, beat together 200g golden caster sugar, 200g softened unsalted butter, 4 large eggs, 200g self-raising flour, 2 tbsp cocoa powder, 1 tsp baking powder, ½ tsp vanilla extract, 2 tbsp milk and a pinch of salt until pale.
• Divide the mixture between the prepared tins. Bake for 20 mins or until a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean.
• Leave to cool in the tin for 10 mins, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
• For the buttercream, put 100g chopped milk chocolate in a heatproof bowl and melt in the microwave, stirring every 30 secs. Leave the melted chocolate to cool for 5 mins.
• Mash 200g softened butter and 400g icing sugar together with a fork, then switch to a wooden spoon or electric beaters, if you have them.
• Sift in 5 tbsp cocoa powder with a pinch of salt and pour in the melted chocolate and 2 tbsp milk. Mix again until smooth.
• On a cake stand or large plate, sandwich the cakes together with half of the buttercream, then spread the rest on top. Decorate with chocolate shards, if you like.
• To make chocolate shards: melt 50g dark chocolate and pour it onto a tray lined with baking parchment or foil.
• Now melt 25g milk chocolate and 25g white chocolate and drizzle them over the dark chocolate before it sets.
• Shake the tray gently to level the mixture then leave to set somewhere cool. Chop into shards.