Ultimate chocolate cake

Indulge yourself with Angela Nilsen's heavenly moist and fudgy chocolate cake - perfect for celebrations - birthdays, weddings, christenings - any excuse!

Recipe uploaded by

Angela Nilsen

821 ratings 5

Recipe by Angela Nilsen

Subscribe to Good Food magazine - 3 issues for £3

Tested

Difficulty and servings

Cuts into 14 slices

Preparation and cooking times

Prep 30 - 40 mins

Cook 1 hr - 1 hr 30 mins

Plus baking and cooling time

Without icing

Butter a 20cm round cake tin (7.5cm deep) and line the base. Preheat the oven to fan 140C/conventional 160C/ gas 3. Break 200g good quality dark chocolate in pieces into a medium, heavy-based pan. Cut 200g butter into pieces and tip in with the chocolate, then mix 1 tbsp instant coffee granules into 125ml cold water and pour into the pan. Warm through over a low heat just until everything is melted - don't overheat. Or melt in the microwave on Medium for about 5 minutes, stirring half way through.
While the chocolate is melting, mix 85g self-raising flour, 85g plain flour, ¼ bicarbonate of soda, 200g light muscovado sugar, 200g golden caster sugar and 25g cocoa powder in a big bowl, mixing with your hands to get rid of any lumps. Beat 3 medium eggs in a bowl and stir in 75ml (5 tbsp) buttermilk.
Now pour the melted chocolate mixture and the egg mixture into the flour mixture, stirring just until everything is well blended and you have a smooth, quite runny consistency. Pour this into the tin and bake for 1 hour 25- 1 hour 30 minutes - if you push a skewer in the centre it should come out clean and the top should feel firm (don't worry if it cracks a bit). Leave to cool in the tin (don't worry if it dips slightly), then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
When the cake is cold, cut it horizontally into three. Make the ganache: chop 200g good quality dark chocolate into small pieces and tip into a bowl. Pour a 284ml carton of double cream into a pan, add 2 tbsp golden caster sugar, and heat until it is about to boil. Take off the heat and pour it over the chocolate. Stir until the chocolate has melted and the mixture is smooth.
Sandwich the layers together with just a little of the ganache. Pour the rest over the cake letting it fall down the sides and smoothing to cover with a palette knife. Decorate with grated chocolate or a pile of chocolate curls. The cake keeps moist and gooey for 3-4 days.

Not quite what you're looking for?

Try our other top-rated chocolate cake recipes including Chocolate brownie cake Chocolate marble cake, or Chocolate birthday cake.

541 kcalories, protein 6g, carbohydrate 55g, fat 35 g, saturated fat 20g, fibre 2g, sugar 40g, salt 0.51 g

Recipe from Good Food magazine, April 2004.

Latest comments and suggestions

Results 201-220

Emily W

28 December 2008

Emily W commented on this recipe

Lovely! Made this for the family at Christmas and disappeared very quickly, in spite of all the other food! Just one thing - the ganache was rather runny and hard to keep on the cake. Any ideas why? The chocolate I used was only 50% cocoa solids - could this be it? Or do you have to let it cool for quite a while before you use it?

Flag as inappropriate

Please let us know your name and the reason you find the above comment inappropriate.

Your name: Reason:
lily96

03 January 2009

lily96 rated and commented on this recipe

I have just taken my cake out of the oven and it has risen fanastically. I didnt have bicarb so i put 1 teaspoon of baking powder in instead and i only put 100g of 72% chocolate in because i forgot to put the other bar in,but the overall tecture and smell of the cake is fantastic. I didnt have buttermilk so just added double cream with no problems.

Flag as inappropriate

Please let us know your name and the reason you find the above comment inappropriate.

Your name: Reason:
mlar

06 January 2009

mlar commented on this recipe

Leave it to cool thoroughly before trying to slice it! I made this for my niece's 30th birthday, covered the ganache before it set with Maltesers (white and milk choc) and it caused a sensation. I am told her friends put it on Facebook

Flag as inappropriate

Please let us know your name and the reason you find the above comment inappropriate.

Your name: Reason:
mlar

06 January 2009

mlar rated and commented on this recipe

Forgot to rate it!

Flag as inappropriate

Please let us know your name and the reason you find the above comment inappropriate.

Your name: Reason:
monkey100_5

08 January 2009

monkey100_5 commented on this recipe

This recipe is delicious. I made 2 cakes at the same time - one for my mums birthday party and family, and one for my friends and home. I added Crunchie nuggets onto the family one becase my mum is a Crunchie fan and it made it a bit more child friendly for my nephews - it was a total success. I just stuck the nuggets around the cake onthe icing and put a load of them in the centre - it made it a bit nobbly but the texture was really tasty. The other cake was taken into work by my partner and they couldnt believe it was so good - people were suggesting I sell it to local restaurants and cafes - they were a huge demand for more. All in all it was fairly easy to make, you can add bits in to make it more child friendly, and personal, use white or mllk chocolate curls for a more colourful look and I found it to be a total winner! I am making another one today for a girlie lunch tomorrow its so good.

Flag as inappropriate

Please let us know your name and the reason you find the above comment inappropriate.

Your name: Reason:
Jenny

10 January 2009

Jenny commented on this recipe

I would like to cook in 2 x sandwich tins, could anyone advise me if I should alter the cooking time.

Flag as inappropriate

Please let us know your name and the reason you find the above comment inappropriate.

Your name: Reason:
Aedara

10 January 2009

Aedara rated and commented on this recipe

This was my birthday cake this year (although with milk chocolate rather than dark) made by my boyfriend and two male housemates who have never really made cakes before. Although much humour occurred when it was placed on a cooling rack and was so moist that it sank right through the rack, when put back together it was one of the tastiest but richest cakes I've ever eaten. I'll defenitly be thinking of making it for another occasion.

Flag as inappropriate

Please let us know your name and the reason you find the above comment inappropriate.

Your name: Reason:
vInDyA

12 January 2009

vInDyA commented on this recipe

This is the best Chocolate cake ever. It is full of chocolate and even the topping is just chocolate. I made this for my finance's b'day and he just loved it. Even though I used alternatives as I couldn't fins some of the ingredients mentioned above, the cake came out really nice . Will definitely make this again.

Flag as inappropriate

Please let us know your name and the reason you find the above comment inappropriate.

Your name: Reason:
vInDyA

12 January 2009

vInDyA rated this recipe

Flag as inappropriate

Please let us know your name and the reason you find the above comment inappropriate.

Your name: Reason:
caroline

12 January 2009

caroline commented on this recipe

I made this cake yesterday for a friend of mine and it was a great success. I did have trouble with the top layer after cutting it in three and that was due to it cracking during cooking. next time il just cut into the two sections. The chocolate ganache was beautifully glossy and sponge wonderfully moist. I topped mine with homemade chocolate curls and shavings, (both dark and white chocolate) chopped flake fingers and a sprinkle of edible white glitter. It looked beautiful.

Flag as inappropriate

Please let us know your name and the reason you find the above comment inappropriate.

Your name: Reason:
Paulette

15 January 2009

Paulette commented on this recipe

I want to make this for a friends 40th and am planning to do the 4 as a maderia sponge and the O as a chocolate one. the number of reviews that this has had really makes me want to try this, do you think it will work? I'm using numbered tins. thanks

Flag as inappropriate

Please let us know your name and the reason you find the above comment inappropriate.

Your name: Reason:
dippyd

17 January 2009

dippyd commented on this recipe

Delicious chocolate cake, very rich and moist, you only need small portions. I found it was best served as a dessert with a fork.

Flag as inappropriate

Please let us know your name and the reason you find the above comment inappropriate.

Your name: Reason:
sayma

17 January 2009

sayma commented on this recipe

enjoyed making this, WON FIRST PRIZE ON XMAS DAY. although it went a bit dry. Can anyone advice or give tips on that.

Flag as inappropriate

Please let us know your name and the reason you find the above comment inappropriate.

Your name: Reason:
natalie

18 January 2009

natalie rated and commented on this recipe

I made this amazing cake for Xmas..It has an fantastic gooey texture and is the ultimate gift for chocolate lovers.. One of the friend i spend xmas with wants me to make it again for his birthday..

Flag as inappropriate

Please let us know your name and the reason you find the above comment inappropriate.

Your name: Reason:
Lozza

23 January 2009

Lozza commented on this recipe

I am going to make this cake in a couple of weeks time, for my son's ninth birthday party. I would like to double the recipe. I am doing a star wars theme decoration, And want to bake it in a large 10" square tin and slice it into 3. Then after the ganache is on can i ice it with rolled sugar paste? Could anybody let me know if they think that would be ok?

Flag as inappropriate

Please let us know your name and the reason you find the above comment inappropriate.

Your name: Reason:
SmellyJ

23 January 2009

SmellyJ rated and commented on this recipe

THIS IS THE BEST 'SQUIDGY' CHOCOLATE CAKE I HAVE EVER MADE!! SO, I AM NOW THE OWNER OF A TRIED AND TESTED FAB CHOCCY CAKE RECIPE TO BE PROUD OF!!! MY TIPS; 30MINS INTO BAKING, I SLID A SHEET OF FOIL OVER SO IT DIDN'T BROWN TOO MUCH, IT COOKED TO PERFECTION! I USED NAT YOGHURT INSTEAD OF BUTTERMILK. NEXT TIME I WILL TRY 1/3 MILK CHOC TO 2/3 DARK!! I CUT MY CAKE IN HALF NOT THIRDS. DEF A '*****' RATING! ;0)

Flag as inappropriate

Please let us know your name and the reason you find the above comment inappropriate.

Your name: Reason:
Annie Diffey

24 January 2009

Annie Diffey commented on this recipe

This chocolate cake is scrummy.. i topped mine with white and milk chocolate!

Flag as inappropriate

Please let us know your name and the reason you find the above comment inappropriate.

Your name: Reason:
PolyVinylBride

25 January 2009

PolyVinylBride rated and commented on this recipe

Made it for my brother's birthday but it came out a little dry even with all that frosting! My dad loved it though, and he doesn't even like chocolate cakes! Probably won't make the cake again, but the frosting is lovely though.

Flag as inappropriate

Please let us know your name and the reason you find the above comment inappropriate.

Your name: Reason:
Flora

26 January 2009

Flora commented on this recipe

I noticed that a few people have used this recipe for a wedding cake. I'm making a wedding cake & decided to give this recipe a try. I need to make a 10 inch square cake so I doubled the ingredients in the recipe, cooked at the same temperature until the skewer came out clean but the cake sunk quite badly in the middle. Does anyone have any advice or tips on how to stop this happening or does anyone have a good chocolate cake recipe on a large scale, everything I seem to find is too small, help !

Flag as inappropriate

Please let us know your name and the reason you find the above comment inappropriate.

Your name: Reason:
Nelehrrap

28 January 2009

Nelehrrap commented on this recipe

I used this recipe for my boyfriends birthday and it went down a treat - superb cake and, I'm still in the good books 5 days after the event!

Flag as inappropriate

Please let us know your name and the reason you find the above comment inappropriate.

Your name: Reason: