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Recipe by Angela Nilsen

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1. Video tutorial: Lining a cake tin

1. Butter a 20cm round cake tin (7.5cm deep) and line the base. Preheat the oven to fan 140C/conventional 160C/ gas 3. Break the chocolate in pieces into a medium, heavy-based pan. Tip in the butter, then mix the coffee granules into 125ml/4fl oz 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.
2. While the chocolate is melting, mix the two flours, bicarbonate of soda, sugars and cocoa in a big bowl, mixing with your hands to get rid of any lumps. Beat the eggs in a bowl and stir in the buttermilk.
3. 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.
4. When the cake is cold, cut it horizontally into three. Make the ganache: chop the chocolate into small pieces and tip into a bowl. Pour the cream into a pan, add the 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.
5. 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.

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

Latest comments and suggestions

Results 41-60

• anniem77

  18 March 2008

  anniem77 rated this recipe

  

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• Jamie

  21 March 2008

  Jamie commented on this recipe

  This cake is fantastic! Give it a go!!!!!

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• suzy2512

  23 March 2008

  suzy2512 rated and commented on this recipe

  

  Surprisingly easy to make. Looked amazing! Everyone was impressed! Had no buttermilk so used cream and some lemon. Was very chocolatey (and must be mega high in fat) so only made as a special treat!

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• kipperelli

  27 March 2008

  kipperelli commented on this recipe

  I made this last year and this as our easter cake, i tried it this year with some milk choc, like a few have suggested, and it was still fab. With M&S mini eggs on the top - lush

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• Sanjo

  27 March 2008

  Sanjo rated and commented on this recipe

  

  This is definitely the best chocolate cake I have made so far. Very moist. Went down a treat when I made it for our W.I. tea. I have tried many recipes but always go back to this one.

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• helen

  29 March 2008

  helen commented on this recipe

  Fantastic cake. Made it at Easter (used yoghurt instead of butter milk) and again for my daughters birthday (with cream instead of butter milk). I also used good quality chocolate but not 60% as my children find it too bitter when I've used it before. Just about to forward the recipe to all the mums at the party!

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• Irene's Food

  29 March 2008

  Irene's Food commented on this recipe

  Absolutely fantastic. All my friends raved about it and said it was better than the local (very popular) cake shop and even asked if they could take some home for the next day! I took the advice of one of the reviewers and mixed milk chocolate and dark for the ganache. I did cut it into 3 (unfortunately the top had cracked quite a bit in cooking and the sections fell apart when I cut the second layer). When I poured all the ganache over it though it "cemented" it all together anyway and it looked beautiful and didn't come apart when cutting. I didn't fancy messing with the curls so I just broke up another bar of chocolate into small chunks and put them on the top! I will never use another chocolate cake recipe - this was the best ever!!!

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• sherilyn

  31 March 2008

  sherilyn rated and commented on this recipe

  

  Amazing! Made this for easter sunday and decorated it with milk flake and mini eggs. I used a mix of good quality milk chocolate and dark chocolate and left out the coffee granules because I cant stand coffee! (i know the idea is you shouldn't actually be able to taste it). Went down very well with the family on easter day, then very well with a group of hungry teenagers in the snow the next day and a few days after that we were still eating it up warmed in the microwave - delicious!

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• jasmine

  04 April 2008

  jasmine commented on this recipe

  I made this cake for my daughters birthday, she was delighted with it,wants it for every birthday in future.

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• Abbey

  08 April 2008

  Abbey rated and commented on this recipe

  

  lovely cake, easy to make, did as another user said, creme fraiche instead of buttr milk and only 3oog sugar, it dosnt really need 400g! Its delicious, good comments from every one who tried it, going to make another tonight!

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• Magik tree fairy

  10 April 2008

  Magik tree fairy commented on this recipe

  I've totally messed this up, I was making it for my son's birthday on Saturday and planned to cover it in white icing as I have a Character Cake Topper of Peppa Pig to go on top. For some reason when I sliced it in half it collapsed into 6 pieces... I can't afford to buy ingredients again so i've stuck it back together with the ganache, covered it in white icing and am going to feign ignorance when it falls apart on cutting... Next problem, I don't own a cake tin, I wonder if tin foil will keep it fresh untill Saturday? Cakes are obviously not my forte...

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• abla

  25 April 2008

  abla commented on this recipe

  I made this recently for a work colleagues birthday, and although I hate coffee flavoured things I left the coffee in (and it doesn't taste of coffee) I used 70% cocoa solid choc , used yoghurt instead of butttermilk, half milk and half dark choc for the ganache. When I cut into 3 the top broke into about 6 pieces but when I poured over the ganache I stuck it back together and covered the top with milk choc curls (melt choc for a couple of mins in microwave, spread over a chopping board, chill thne use a sharp knife, and drag toward you over the top to create curls). I was told it was the best chocolate cake they had ever tasted!!! it is like a fudgy browny with creamy choc icing...not for those on diets...am looking forward to making it again!

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• Amy

  27 April 2008

  Amy rated and commented on this recipe

  

  I loved this although I didn't quite fancy the ganche on top. When mine was cool enough to handle it had a bit of a dip in the top so I smothed this over with some coffee buttercreme and covered the whole thing in melted white chocolate dotted with milk choc buttons. It was lovely!

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• Sizzling Siren

  28 April 2008

  Sizzling Siren rated and commented on this recipe

  

  Don't let the number of ingredients put you off - this is the easiest cake recipe ever! Even the basic Madeira cake requires effort in stirring but this one halves the effort and takes no time to prepare. Sickingly divine and deliciously poisonous, it goes great with scoops of vanilla ice cream and is a fantastic dessert to make for a dinner party. I think I will try sprinkling white chocolate on top next time.

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• Titch

  30 April 2008

  Titch commented on this recipe

  I havent actually made the cake yet but it looks totally yummy! =)

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• Titch

  30 April 2008

  Titch rated and commented on this recipe

  

  oops i forgot to rate it!!!! =)

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• cakemania

  01 May 2008

  cakemania commented on this recipe

  this is the most amazing moist choc cake ever. i followed the recipe exactly and slit into just two.i brought it into work next day and everyone said it was nicer than the best restaurant!i will make another tmrw,its awesome, i will be the size of a small jouse in no time!oh nearly forgot, i decorated the top with maltesers oooohhhh what a way to die! lisa auckland new zealand.

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• Revenn

  02 May 2008

  Revenn commented on this recipe

  Hi, The Ultimate Chocolate by Ms Nielson, could you give me cups and teaspoon measurements, rather than mg' thank you

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• Revenn

  02 May 2008

  Revenn commented on this recipe

  Have not made the Ultimate Chocolate cake, because I am unable to understand the gram measurements. I would appreciate if you would help me with this. I know if I presented this cake to our group it would be very impressive. Thank You, Revenn

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• TanyaWJ75

  04 May 2008

  TanyaWJ75 rated and commented on this recipe

  

  This has to be THE best chocolate cake ever! My friends are always asking me to make it for Birthdays and I made it to use as my wedding cake also. I've never found it necessary to change anything about this recipe. It's fabulous as it is!!!!!

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Ingredients

• 200g good quality dark chocolate , about 60% cocoa solids
• 200g butter , cut in pieces
• 1 tbsp instant coffee granules
• 85g self-raising flour
• 85g plain flour
• 1⁄4 tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 200g light muscovado sugar
• 200g golden caster sugar
• 25g cocoa powder
• 3 medium eggs
• 75ml buttermilk (5 tbsp)
• grated chocolate or curls, to decorate

FOR THE GANACHE

• 200g good-quality dark chocolate , as above
• 284ml carton double cream (pouring type)
• 2 tbsp golden caster sugar

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Difficulty and servings

Cuts into 14 slices

Preparation and cooking times

Prep 30 40 mins

Cook 1 hr min 1 hr 30 mins

Plus baking and cooling time

Without icing

Ingredients

• 200g good quality dark chocolate , about 60% cocoa solids
• 200g butter , cut in pieces
• 1 tbsp instant coffee granules
• 85g self-raising flour
• 85g plain flour
• 1⁄4 tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 200g light muscovado sugar
• 200g golden caster sugar
• 25g cocoa powder
• 3 medium eggs
• 75ml buttermilk (5 tbsp)
• grated chocolate or curls, to decorate

FOR THE GANACHE

• 200g good-quality dark chocolate , as above
• 284ml carton double cream (pouring type)
• 2 tbsp golden caster sugar

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

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