Black Magic Cake

The magical part about this cake is that it's as dense in flavour as a truffle cake, but the sponge is as light as a white cake. It's the best of both worlds. Covered in a silky, smooth chocolate ganache, this cake is a dream. It's easy to make and decorate. This cake is perfect for last minute bake. It's moist and creamy. You'll love this cake the moment you lay your eyes on it!

Serves: 8

Ingredients

Cake Base

2 cups flour

¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder

2 cups granulated sugar

2 tsp of baking powder

1 tsp of baking soda

¼ tsp of salt

2 eggs at room temperature

¼ cup of espresso

1 ¼ cup of full-fat milk

2 Tbsp of vegetable oil

Chocolate ganache

1¼ cup of dark chocolate chips

1 cup of heavy cream

Method

Step 1- Cake Base

Preheat the oven to 180°c.

Step 2

In a bowl, sift flour, sugar, cocoa powder, granulated sugar, baking soda, baking powder and salt.

Step 3

Whisk the dry ingredients thoroughly, then make a well in between and add eggs, milk, oil and slightly cooled espresso.

Step 4

With a hand mixer, mix all the ingredients until the batter has a creamy texture.

Step 5

Now take two 8-inch cake tins, line them with parchment paper and grease the sides with butter. Equally, add the batter into the tins and 2-3 times on the slab.

Step 6

Place in the oven and bake for 30-35 mins. To check if the cake is made, insert a toothpick in the middle, and it should come out clean or with a few cake particles.

Step 7

Once the cakes are made, take them out and let them cool for 20-40 minutes on the cooling rack.

Step 8 - Chocolate ganache

In a pan, heat some water to simmer. In a heatproof glass bowl, add heavy cream and chocolate and place them over the pan. Make sure the water isn't touching the bowl.

Step 9

Keep stirring the chocolate and cream together. Keep the heat at medium-low or low.

Tip: Stirring is essential.

Step 10

Once all the chocolate has melted into the cream, take a bowl off the heat and let it cool down at room temperature. Stir occasionally.

Step 12

The ganache should take about 30-40 minutes to set, and it'll come out thick and creamy.

Step 13 - Assembly

Take one layer of the cake. Cut some layers from the top to flatten it out. Now add ⅓ of the ganache and spread it evenly.

Step 14

Take the other layer of the cake and place it at the top. Slowly start coating the cake with chocolate ganache, and add a few berries.

Step 15

Place the cake in the fridge for 6-7 hours or overnight.

Tips

1. You can replace oil with 1.5 tbsp of unsalted butter at room temperate.

2. The cake batter might be thinner than the standard, but don't worry.

3. Try not to overmix the batter. Beat on low.

4. Greasing the pan with butter on the sides is essential.

5. For the ganache, whisking is most important.