Jenny’s Champion Chocolate Cake

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Jenny's Champion Chocolate Cake

Serves 10

Nothing makes me happier than sharing a cake – whether I’m on the giving or the receiving end. So you can imagine my delight when I returned from a big bushwalk in the Blue Mountains to my room at Shelton Lea, and found a slice of this chocolate deliciousness in my room.

In fact, I’ve actually lost count of how many times since then that I’ve stayed at this delightful bed and breakfast in the nine years I’ve lived in Australia but it’s well into double digits, and not just because of the cake!  I’m pleased to report that I’ve had the good fortune to enjoy some of Jenny’s cakes every single time. And the funny thing is, Jenny has never made the same cake twice. I think her cake repetoire must be nearly as big as mine!

I finally got around to converting this cake to the Thermomix, because needs must…  Wayne, officially the Site Manager of the complex and unofficially My Personal Cake Tester was having a birthday and a 60th birthday at that and everyone knows that a birthday morning coffee without a birthday cake is just a meeting!

This cake is so simple but so delicious – whether you make it with or without a Thermomix. Just give it a try, and if you’re in the Blue Mountains, tell Jenny I said hi!

Do you love sharing cake too? Have you got a favourite weekend getaway? Ever been to the Blue Mountains?

Jenny's Champion Chocolate Cake 2

Ingredients

1/2  cup (50g) cocoa powder

1/2  cup (125 ml ) boiling water

185 g butter

250g brown sugar

3 eggs

1 1/2 cups (225g) self raising flour

1/2  cup (75g) plain flour

1/4  teaspoon bicarbonate soda

3/4  cup (180ml) milk

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

FOR THE CHOCOLATE ICING

120g milk chocolate

95g thickened cream

1 Cadbury’s Flake

Jenny's Champion Chocolate Cake 3

How to – Traditional

  1. Pre heat oven 170C/150C fan forced. Grease a 22cm deep cake pan and line the base with baking paper.
  2.  Combine cocoa and water in a small bowl, whisk until smooth. Set aside to cool.
  3. Beat butter and sugar with electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time beating well after each addition until combined.
  4. Stir in sifted flours and soda then milk, vanilla extract and cocoa mixture. Pour the mixture into prepared pan.
  5. Bake for about 1 hour 10 minutes until the cake springs back at the touch.
  6. Allow the cake to stand for at least 10 minutes before turning out on to a  wire rack.

For the Icing

  1. Combine chocolate and cream in a small saucepan stir over very low heat until smooth.
  2. Transfer to  a bowl and refrigerate, stirring frequently until the icing is a spreadable consistency, if you can wait that long (I’m impatient and usually can’t!)
  3. Spread icing (or allow to drip) over top and sides of cake and decorate. Crumble the Flake bar over the top for the finishing touch!
  • Jenny's Champion Chocolate Cake 4

How to – Thermomix

  1. Pre heat oven 170C/150C fan forced. Grease a 22cm deep cake pan and line the base with baking paper.
  2.  Combine cocoa and water in a small bowl, whisk until smooth. Set aside to cool.
  3. Add butter to TM bowl and chop for 5 seconds on speed 7. Insert the butterfly, add the sugar and mix for 30 seconds  on speed 4. Scrape down sides and base of bowl and mix for another 30 seconds  on speed 4 until light and fluffy.
  4. With the blades running on speed 3, add the eggs, one at a time through the hole in the lid, beating well after each addition. This should take about 1 minute.
  5. Add the flour, bicarb, milk and mix for 10 seconds on speed 4. Scrape down sides and base of bowl.
  6. Add the vanilla extract and cocoa mixture. Mix for 10 seconds  on speed 4. Scrape down sides and base of bowl and mix for a further 10 seconds  on speed 4 until smooth.
  7. Pour the mixture into prepared pan and bake for about 1 hour 10 minutes until the cake springs back at the touch.
  8. Allow the cake to stand for at least 10 minutes before turning out on to a  wire rack.

For the Icing

  1. Place chocolate in TM bowl and grate for 30 seconds  on speed 8.
  2. Add cream and cook for 2 minutes  at 50 degrees  on speed 5.
  3. Transfer to  a bowl and refrigerate, stirring frequently until the icing is a spreadable consistency, if you can wait that long (I’m impatient and usually can’t!)
  4. Spread icing (or allow to drip) over top and sides of cake and decorate. Crumble the Flake bar over the top for the finishing touch!

Jenny's Champion Chocolate Cake 5