This is my ‘go-to’ recipe for chocolate cake. And this was also voted for to me bake on my Instagram Live last Sunday! (Instagram account @bakedbyammna) The full instructional video is on there too. This cake is full of depth, flavour, while fluffy, moist and decadent with chocolate! It doesn’t even take you 10 min to prepare and then the rest is the ovens job!

Give it a go, you will LOVE it! (P.s this recipe make one large cake, OR two 8inch cakes OR three 6inch cakes)

Here’s how you bake it!

INGREDIENTS :

For the chocolate cake –

• 170g (1 1/3 cup) flour
• 250g (1 1/4 cups) sugar
• 3 tbsp cocoa powder nice quality
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 1 tbsp baking soda
• 1 ½ tsp baking powder
• 240ml (1 cup) sour cream
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 3 eggs large
• 240ml (1 cup) Hot water OR hot coffee
• 120ml (1/2 cup) vegetable oil (I used sunflower oil)

For the chocolate mousse filling –

• 150g 70% dark chocolate (I use valrohna)
• 6 egg whites
• 2 tbsp sugar

METHOD :

For the chocolate cake –

1. Preheat oven to 175C.

2. Butter and line with baking paper (parchment paper) three 6-inch cake pans (or two 8inch or one large pan).

3. Sift together the dry ingredients (including the sugar) into the bowl of a stand mixer and whisk to combine.

4. Add the wet ingredients into a large bowl and whisk together.

5. Add the wet ingredients , other than the hot water or hot coffee, to the dry ingredients. And whisk to combine. Then add in the hot water or hot coffee.

6. Whisk to combine then mix on level 2 for two minutes.

7. Distribute batter evenly to the three 6 inch pans (or two 8inch or one large pan) and bake for about 35-40 minutes at 175C or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. I recommend rotating the pans halfway through the bake.

8. Allow time to cool for 5 minutes, then invert onto wire racks to cool fully.

For the chocolate mousse –

1. Melt the chocolate in the microwave in a microwaveable bowl, stirring every 30 seconds until just melted. Whisk the egg whites to soft peaks, scatter in the sugar and whisk again until the mixture forms stiff peaks when you lift the whisk out (around 30 seconds).
2. Add a big tablespoon of the egg white to the melted chocolate and mix vigorously, working fast so the chocolate doesn’t cool and harden. Then fold in the remaining egg whites carefully using a spatula or large metal spoon. Pour into piping bag, and pipe onto the cakes as desired. *NOTE– you might need to make more depending on what size you’ve baked your cake at.
3. Decorate with fresh strawberries – optional.

Enjoy!