Wedding cake - rich dark chocolate cake

Recipe uploaded by

Jane Hornby

21 ratings

Recipe by Jane Hornby

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1. Video tutorial: Lining a cake tin

1. Heat oven to 160C/fan 140C/gas 4. Butter, double-line and wrap the sides of the 30cm cake tin as before. Put the butter and chocolate into a medium saucepan, then stir over a low heat until melted and smooth. Stir in the coffee and vanilla.
2. Sift the flour, baking powder and bicarbonate of soda into the biggest bowl you have. Add the sugar, breaking down any lumps with your fingertips if necessary. Beat the eggs and soured cream together in a jug or bowl and pour into the flour mix. Pour in the melted chocolate mix as well, then stir with a wooden spoon until you have a thick, even chocolaty batter.
3. Pour into the prepared tin and bake for 2½ hrs - don't open the oven door before 2 hrs is up, as this will cause the cake to sink. Once cooked, leave in the tin to cool completely. The unfilled cake will keep for up to four days, wrapped as before, or frozen for a month.

Per serving

274 kcalories, protein 3g, carbohydrate 30g, fat 16 g, saturated fat 9g, fibre 1g, salt 0.23 g

Latest comments and suggestions

Results 21-40

• Jo

  28 May 2008

  Jo rated and commented on this recipe

  

  I made a 9" version (with half measures of recipe) for my daughters 1st communion as a practise for my cousin's wedding cake. After an initial disaster (don't muddle plain flour with SR!!!) it turned out brilliantly and went down a storm with guests! Absolutely delicious. Thanks!

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• peaches

  30 May 2008

  peaches commented on this recipe

  sounds delish going to be trying this for the first time ,what is the best filling to use

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• amethyst

  01 June 2008

  amethyst commented on this recipe

  This looks to be exactly what im looking for ....BUT! ....is it possible to use another ingrediant instead of the eggs as my grandson is allergic to them!!

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• Jo

  06 June 2008

  Jo commented on this recipe

  I made this cake for my daughter's 1st communion (9" - half ingredients) as a practice for my cousin's wedding cake. After an initial disaster (don't muddle plain flour with SR!!!), it turned out beautifully and went down a storm with guests! Absolutely delicious - I was dead chuffed!

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• boocc4

  11 June 2008

  boocc4 commented on this recipe

  Hi I made the mistake with the quantities when I halved it for a 6 inch round. I thought that I would try as an experiment and used the left over mixture to make an 8 inch sandwich size cake which I cooked in a 900wat microwave for 10 minutes on half power and then another 5 minutes of full power It turned out really beautifully. Slightly softer at first but firmed up as it cooled and no crust to speak of. It was so good that I plan to do it this way again as it is much easier and quicker. Environmentally friendly too.

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• denzel62

  16 June 2008

  denzel62 commented on this recipe

  I am going to make this cake for my brothers wedding. My problem is that I have to travel from London to Hull with the cake. Should I assemble it before I go? Does the cake travel well? How should I pack it?

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• Jsimone

  18 June 2008

  Jsimone commented on this recipe

  This is a lovely cake and hugest ever. i took into work 4 a leaving do and it kept going and going. the cake was voted excellent by chocolate lovers and i got a few people wanting to order one! i used ganache as a filling and topping instead of icing and that went down really well.

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• Leni

  22 June 2008

  Leni commented on this recipe

  I would try these.... 6" square = 1/4 recipe - round 6" = 1/5 recipe 8" square = 1/2 recipe - round 8" = 2//5 recipe 10" square = 3/4 recipe - round 10" = 3/5 recipe

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• Nikkinoo

  25 June 2008

  Nikkinoo commented on this recipe

  I made this cake for my wedding back in March. Absolutely everyone (even those who claimed not to like chocolate cake) loved it - so much so that I had to hide a chunk to eat myself after the event!! Because I was making it for my wedding I did a test run first - but when cutting it it was so perfect that the test cake became the real thing. One tip for cutting it - I didn't have a knife long enough as the cake is pretty big! Instead I pulled dental floss through it, resulting in a perfectly clean, straight cut for each layer. I filled and covered it in chocolate ganache and melted chocolate hearts (milk, white and plain) as I'm a bit of a chocoholic at heart. For the ganache I heated 600g double cream then melted 600g plain chocolate in it. Easy peasy! I'll definitely be making this again - thanks everyone who's commented previously on your hints for reducing the recipe for a smaller cake, they're a great help!

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• Lieselotte

  25 June 2008

  Lieselotte commented on this recipe

  I halved the quantities for an 8" tin and stupidly also the cooking time and mine has sunk!! Should have read the above comments and left it alone for 2 hours but it looked done after 1 1/4 so I opened the oven. Hope I can rescue by cutting the top off!

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• Erika Higginson

  28 June 2008

  Erika Higginson commented on this recipe

  I have got the cake layers the wrong way round I have fruit for the bottom lemon for the middle and chocolate for the top. don't know how to adjust the recipe for a nine inch tin so I am going to make the full amount fill the nine inch tin and cook the rest so I can have a spare one ready for christmas. win win situation really

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• Rosie

  01 July 2008

  Rosie commented on this recipe

  Hi there, I am planning on making the whole 3 layers as per recipe, but my oven has packed up!!!!! Will be able to use my son Andrew s, oven while he away on honeymoon. Has any one actually frozen, then iced and eaten? This is for a surprise for Andrew and Suzy when they back from hol. Have never frozen cakes before and do not want special ones not to taste perfect!!!! Also, does a frozen cake taste "different"?

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• Jo

  13 July 2008

  Jo commented on this recipe

  In here checking recipe as making the real cakes ( chocolate and lemon) this weekend. Yes have frozen a practice chocolate cake for four weeks and it was fine afterwards filled and iced. There is a filling recipe on the 'make your cake' section for those confused. Made the lemon section yesterday and it's now in fthe reezer for wedding in three weeks. I would say don't worry about the complicated maths those making other sizes, I have been practising just with a halved mixture or a third of the mix, all have been fine. Will definitely try the dental floss Nikkinoo what a great idea !! I have to transport this cake to my daughter's reception location and will definitely not assemble before travelling. Get some cake boxes and put in bigger cardboard boxes I think is the minimum protection if not armed guards too the mood I'll be in on the day lol !!!! Off to get the huge chocolate one made and frozen, haven't tried the whole recipe before.

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• Leni

  21 July 2008

  Leni commented on this recipe

  does anyone actually know if this cake keeps longer than 4 days? I've just put a 9" round in the oven for a wedding this saturday! If I fill and ice it tomorrow, will it last until saturdays wedding?

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• milk made

  07 August 2008

  milk made rated and commented on this recipe

  

  love this recipe. I will use this again and again as my prefered chocolate cake for celebrations. It did need a little more oven time than stated. Great results.

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• Nat Tidbury

  07 August 2008

  Nat Tidbury commented on this recipe

  I made this cake for my sister's wedding on July 26th 2008. I did it as an additional cake (I also made a three tier fruit cake) - my sister is a chocoholic so to get her seal of approval is tremendous. The cake was fantastic - very moist. I filled and covered it with a chocolate butter icing and decorated it with Thornton's chocolates - chocolate heaven! Well recommended to anyone.

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• Nat Tidbury

  08 August 2008

  Nat Tidbury commented on this recipe

  Following on from my previous comment - I have now made this cake in a 23cm tin for my niece's birthday party tomorrow, at her request i might add. I used half the quantities and it has come out perfectly after being baked for exactly two hours at 160 degrees or 140 fan.

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• vetbevs

  10 August 2008

  vetbevs commented on this recipe

  has anyone cooked this recipe without the coffee - I hate coffee and don't want my wedding cake tasting of it! any ideas would be greatly appreciated.

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• henna123

  12 August 2008

  henna123 commented on this recipe

  you could try orange juice/cointraeux (sp) or some other orange flavoured liqoure? I am planning on making a version of this for a competition in Oct, I will prob add alcohol in place of coffee as i hate coffee! Has anybody tried it without filling it? would that work if i do a smaller version? Paula

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• Bev

  12 August 2008

  Bev commented on this recipe

  I made this cake as a trial run for my Daughter's wedding in September. It was moist and delicious, probably the best chocolate cake I have ever tasted and very easy, just three stages. However, I am unsure about the top tier. Has anyone got the exact quantities for the top tier and also the exact cooking time. I plan to follow the advice of halving the quantity for the second tier and baking it for two hours.

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Ingredients

• 650g unsalted butter
• 650g plain chocolate (70% cocoa)
• 100ml very strong coffee- espresso is ideal
• 3 tsp vanilla essence
• 650g plain flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 950g light soft brown sugar
• 10 eggs
• 2 x 284ml soured cream

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Difficulty and servings

Serves 50

Preparation and cooking times

Prep 40 mins

Cook min 2 hrs 30 mins

Ingredients

• 650g unsalted butter
• 650g plain chocolate (70% cocoa)
• 100ml very strong coffee- espresso is ideal
• 3 tsp vanilla essence
• 650g plain flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 950g light soft brown sugar
• 10 eggs
• 2 x 284ml soured cream

Per serving

274 kcalories, protein 3g, carbohydrate 30g, fat 16 g, saturated fat 9g, fibre 1g, salt 0.23 g

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