SCHOOL CHOCOLATE CAKE RECIPES

Steps:

• 1. Preheat the oven to 180ºC/350ºF/gas 4. Grease and line a 20cm square baking tin.
  2. To make the cake batter, mix the cocoa powder with 100ml of just-boiled water until smooth.
  3. In a large mixing bowl or free-standing mixer, beat the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.
  4. Pour the cocoa mixture into the bowl, followed by the eggs. Sieve in the flour, baking powder and 1 pinch of sea salt, then pour in the milk and mix again until smooth.
  5. Pour the cake batter into the prepared tin and bake for 40 to 45 minutes, or until cooked through and an inserted skewer comes out clean. Leave to cool in the tin for 15 minutes.
  6. When you’re almost ready to eat, make the custard. Warm the milk in a heavy-bottomed pan over a medium heat until just-boiling.
  7. Mix the sugar, custard powder and cocoa powder together in a large jug.
  8. Remove the milk from the heat and, whisking as you go, slowly add half to the jug.
  9. Pour the custard mixture back into the milk pan and return to the heat.
  10. Cook the custard over a low heat until thick, stirring continuously, then break in the chocolate, remove from the heat and stir until melted. Pour into a serving jug.
  11. Cut the cake into squares while it’s still warm. Serve with a generous helping of hot custard and a few extra shavings of chocolate.

Steps:

• In medium bowl, combine cocoa with boiling water, mixing with wire whisk until smooth.
• Cool completely.
• Sift flour with soda, salt and baking powder.
• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Grease well and lightly flour three 9 by 1 1/2 inch layer-cake pans.
• In large bowl of electric mixer, at high speed, beat butter, sugar, eggs, and vanilla, scraping bowl occasionally until light-about 5 minutes.
• At low speed, beat in flour mixture (in fourths), alternately with cocoa mixture (in thirds), beginning and ending with flour mixture. Do not overbeat.
• Divide evenly into pans;smooth top. Bake 25 to 30 minutes, or until surface springs back when gently pressed with fingertip.
• Cool in pans 10 minutes.
• Carefully loosen sides with spatula; 4. Remove from pans; cool on racks.
• Frosting: In medium saucepan, combine chocolate pieces,cream, butter;stir over medium heat until smooth.
• Remove from heat.
• With whisk, blend in 2 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar.
• In bowl set over ice(I use ice cubes) beat until it holds shape.
• 18. Filling: whip cream with sugar and vanilla;refrigerate.
• To assemble cake: On plate place a layer, top side down;spread with half of cream.
• Place second layer, top side down;spread with rest of cream.
• Place third layer, top side up. To frost: With spatula, frost sides first,covering whipped cream;use rest of frosting on top, swirling decoratively.
• Refrigerate at least 1 hour before serving.
• To cut, use a thin-edged sharp knife;slice with a sawing motion.
• And forget the swirls.
• I think it looks gourmet just to spread the frosting.
• It dries really dark and looks cool.
• Somethimes I just drag a sharp knife across the top in lines and sometimes I leave it as it is. From McCall's Cooking School.