Vintage on line

Mmmmmmm you know what this week is, yep you read the title right it is National Chocolate Week!!! Yum-my! Do you think it means we can eat chocolate-y goodness for every meal, ooohhh wouldn't that be nice!

Anyhoot, Chocolate Week starts today and runs until Sunday 19th October.

To read more about Chocolate Week and see which companies are involved and where all the goodness filled events are click *here*.

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So just to go along with the chocolate theme here is one of Rachel Allen's recipes which was featured on Rachel Allen: Bake! Has anyone been watching this, ooooohhh I loved it ~ I will definitely have to try this recipe.


Chocolate Cake


Ingredients

For the cake

125g dark chocolate
3 tbsp Milk
150g Butter, at room temperature
150g caster sugar
3 Eggs
200g plain flour
1 tbsp good quality Cocoa powder
1 tsp Baking powder
1/4 tsp Bicarbonate of soda
cocoa powder or icing sugar, for dusting (optional)

For the chocolate butter icing

75g Butter at room temperature
1 tbsp Cream
1 tsp vanilla extract
175g icing sugar
1 tbsp good quality Cocoa powder

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180/gas 4. Butter and flour the sides of two 20cm sandwich tins and line the bases with greaseproof paper.
2. For the cake: place the chocolate and the milk in a bowl sitting over a saucepan of gently simmering water and heat until the chocolate has melted. (Make sure the bottom of the bowl doesn’t touch the surface of the water.) Set aside to cool slightly.
3. Beat the butter until very soft then add the caster sugar and continue to beat until the mixture is pale and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, then fold in the melted chocolate.
4. Sift in the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and the bicarbonate of soda, and fold in gently to mix. Divide the mixture between the two tins and bake in the oven for 25 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the middle of each cake comes out clean.
5. Remove the cakes from the oven and allow to sit for five minutes before turning them out of their tins and placing them on a wire rack to cool.
6. For the chocolate butter icing: beat the butter, cream and the vanilla extract until very soft. Then gradually sift in the icing sugar and the cocoa powder, beating all the time, until it is all added. Continue to beat until very soft, then whisk the mixture until it is light and fluffy.
7. Once the cakes are cool, sandwich them together with the chocolate butter icing. Place the cake on a plate or a cake stand and dust with cocoa powder or icing sugar if you wish.

Cook’s note: Add the finely grated rind of one orange to give the cake a chocolate orange flavour or replace the vanilla extract with one tablespoon of instant coffee powder for a mocha flavour.
This can also be turned into chocolate cupcakes if you wish – the recipe will fill 12 paper cases in a cupcake or muffin tray, and will take about 18–20 minutes to cook.


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Enjoy chocolate week everyone.
x