Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 1 hour
Makes 12 Generous Slices
Good gluten free cakes are tough to come by and baking gluten free is different to straight up baking. I've been perfecting my gluten free cake recipes for years - and this wonderfully moist (yes, I said it - and shivered all at once) chocolate cake & my carrot cake are definitely my major triumphs in this area. The crumb is tender, the structure holds well without being dry or crumbly & there is just the right amount of bounce to the cake itself.
Paired with a delicious toasted hazelnut & chocolate buttercream, this is a great addition to any birthday, afternoon tea or day ending in "Y" - and it's one that people now ask for if I say I'll bring something along for any occassion.
If you love your gluten and don't have any allergies or intolerances toward it, you can 100% swap out the Gluten free flour for regular flour & remove the Xanthan gum. You will also need to use 3 Medium eggs rather than large in this case and reduce the buttermilk to 70ml - otherwise, you'll end up with a very wet cake, and I don't think that's what anyone is looking for! I hope you'll give this a try, I'm no star baker - but everyone should have a mind blowing chocolate cake in their arsenal. This will also hold in the fridge for upwards of 1 week - not that it will last that long!
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Ingredients
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Method
Makes 12 Generous Slices
For The Cake:
- 225g Chopped Dark Chocolate (At least 70% Cocoa Solids)
- 200g Unsalted Butter
- 1 Tablespoon Instant Coffee (Optional, but it really brings out the chocolate)
- 85g Gluten Free Self Raising Flour (I Use Doves Farm)
- 85g Gluten Free Plain Flour
- 1 Teaspoon Xanthan Gum
- 1/4 Teaspoon Bicarbonate of Soda
- 1/4 Teaspoon Salt
- 200g Light Brown Sugar
- 200g Caster Sugar
- 30g Cocoa Powder
- 75ml Butter Milk
- 125ml Cold Water
- 3 Large Eggs
- 100g Toasted Hazelnuts (Processed to a fine crumb)
For the Chocolate & Hazelnut Buttercream:
- 400g Icing Sugar
- 200g Softened Unsalted Butter
- 100g Melted Chocolate (Cooled)
- 2 Tablespoons Cocoa Powder
- 5 Tablespoons Milk
- 50g of The Toasted Hazelnuts from Above
- Preheat the Oven to 160C/320F (Fan 140C/280F, Gas Mark 3)
- Spread the Hazelnuts on a baking sheet and toast in the oven for 10-15 minutes
- Put 200g of Chocolate, and 200g butter in a pan on low heat - add the coffee and water. Warm through until everything is just melted & combined. You can also do this in the microwave in 2 minute intervals - do not overheat.
- Grease and line 2 x 9" round sandwich tins with parchment paper.
- Mix together all dry ingredients & whisk to remove any lumps.
- In a separate bowl, beat the eggs and buttermilk together until combined.
- Add the egg mixture & chocolate mixture to the dry ingredients and stir until everything is smooth, The mixture will seem quite runny at this point.
- Pour the mixture into your prepared tins and smooth out the surface with a spatula.
- Place these in the centre of your oven for approximately 45 minutes, or until a skewer in the centre comes out clean.
- Cool the cakes in the tin until cool enough to handle - then tip out on to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Melt the Chocolate for your buttercream icing so it has time to cool.
- Add the Hazelnuts to a food processor and process to a fine crumb.
- Mix the ingredients for the buttercream together until well combined, light & fluffy - split the mixture so you have 1/3 in a separate bowl and add half the Chopped Hazelnuts here, mix to combine.
- Construct the cake with the Hazelnut buttercream in the middle and the chocolate buttercream on the outside & top.
- Cover the top surface of the cake with the remainder of the Toasted chopped Hazelnuts, decorate as desired & Enjoy!
Life is too short to not eat cake,
Beckha