Rachel Allen's Chocolate Cake,a Product Review & Giveaway!

I don't know how many times I've admitted it here,but saying it again anyway.I love a good chocolate cake.Any occasion which demands a cake has to be chocolate for me.Very rarely do I enjoy being a non-chocoholic when I bake stuff like these,but however it is chocolate all the way for me.(tell me how many times I've said chocolate in this paragraph and you'll win this giveaway-hehe,just kidding!)

Rachel Allen's Bake is one show I never miss on TLC.Though at times I feel she overdoes it a bit,her recipes are awesome.Her cooking classes even better.This chocolate cake featured in one of her cooking classes and the ease at which it could be made tempted me.I wrote down the recipe and planned to try it at the next opportunity.Sadly,it was forgotten soon after.

Few days back,I saw a re-run of the same episode and I told myself I shouldn't delay baking this any further.Any cake recipe which calls for a good amount of frosting makes me sit up.I try not to put too much frosting on my cakes,but what is a good chocolate cake without a great amount of chocolate frosting on it anyway.

I got the perfect reason to indulge when Neelam of Urbandazzle sent me this beautiful cake platter to review.I've always wanted to own a cake platter to show off the cakes I bake,but due to the limited options available,had to resort to dessert plates.This Palladio Footed Cake platter solves the misery for me by being the perfect platter to showcase this sinful chocolate cake.

Rachel Allen's Chocolate Cake

Ingredients

Dark Chocolate - 125gms / 4 1/2oz
Milk - 3 tbsp
Butter,softened - 150gms / 5oz
Caster Sugar - 150 gms / 5oz
Eggs - 3
Flour - 200gms / 7oz
Baking powder - 1 tsp
Baking soda - 1/4 tsp

Method

Preheat oven to 180C.Grease/Line two 8' pans.
 
Place the chocolate and milk in a microproof bowl and microwave on full power for 1 minute.Stir well to get a smooth mixture.
OR
Place the chocolate and the milk in a bowl sitting over a saucepan of gently simmering water and heat until then chocolate has melted.
 
Sift together flour,baking powder and baking soda.Reserve.
 
Beat the butter till soft and then mix in the caster sugar and beat together till creamy.
Mix in the eggs one at a time beating well for one minute after each addition.
 
Fold in the melted(and cooled) chocolate.
Add the flour mix and fold in gently to mix.I did this in three lots and used my hand mixer for the first two lots and then used my spatula for the last lot.
Divide the mixture between two tins and bake for 25-30 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean.
 
Remove the cakes from the oven and allow to sit for a few minutes before turning them out of their tins and placing on a wire rack to cool.

 
Chocolate Buttercream Icing

Ingredients

Softened butter - 1/2 cup/100 gms
Icing sugar - 2 cups(I used powdered sugar which makes the frosting a bit grainy)
Cocoa powder - 2 tbsp
Boiling water - 2 tbsp

Method
 
Mix together cocoa and boiling water to a smooth paste.Let it cool.
Beat together butter and icing sugar till creamy.Fold in the cooled cocoa paste and mix together to form a smooth icing.

Assembling the cake
In a cake platter place one of the cakes and apply 1/3 of the frosting on top.Place the other cake on top and put another 1/3 of the icing to cover the top and use the rest to coat the sides.
Top with sprinkles or silver dragees.

Urban Dazzle Product Review & Giveaway 

Much has been written about how difficult it is to procure bakeware and baking tools in India.Not anymore.Check out Urban dazzle for some amazing collection of bakeware,which includes Ramekins,Springform tins,Brioche tins,Silicone pans,Glassware etc.They also have in store Cheese Domes,Tiered plates(perfect to showcase those pretty cupcakes!)and not to forget those pretty Cake plates I've longed to own.

They have a wide variety of Kitchen essentials too.Non-stick cookware,Mixing bowls and a Home Bakery Mini Breadmaker too.

The packing is immaculate.Makes sure what you've ordered for doesn't come in bits and pieces(what a horror!)

And here's the most interesting part.Urban Dazzle is offering a Giveaway to one of the lucky readers of Easycooking.

All you have to do is comment on this post.You can say a word or two about what you wish to own or what you wish to see in the bakeware list or just anything.

The lucky winner gets a Devnow Ceramics Ramekin with Cover(set of 3 pieces).So what are you waiting for-start commenting!

I will be picking a random winner on 7/08/12.  Giveaway is closed.

Disclaimer - The Cake platter was sent to me by UrbanDazzle as part of a product review.The Giveaway too is sponsored by them.