Crazy Tasty Chocolate Celebration Cake
This weekend I did something a little bit ambitious... I catered for a 21st birthday party, for 40 people, on my own, including a cake. The mains and sides and whatnot went down really well but the pièce de résistance was this show-stopping cake!
Layers of decadent fudgy chocolate cake, crunchy chocolate-y puffed rice, ooey-gooey, honey and rose nougat frosting and a sprinkling of chocolate over the top - this cake is all that you've ever dreamed of and oh-so-much more!!
Crazy Tasty Chocolate Celebration Cake
For the sponge:
250g unsalted butter, plus extra for greasing
150g quality dark chocolate (70%)
2 tablespoons olive oil
300g caster sugar
6 large free-range eggs
150g self-raising flour
4 tablespoons quality cocoa powder
For the chocolate rice layer:
300g quality dark chocolate (70%), plus extra to serve
75g butter
100ml double cream
100g puffed rice cereal
For the nougat frosting:
2 large free-range egg whites
3 tablespoons runny honey
200g caster sugar
1 teaspoon cream of tartar
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
½ teaspoon rose water (optional)
Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/gas 4. Grease a deep 23cm loose-bottomed cake tin and line the base and sides with greaseproof paper.
For the sponge, smash up the chocolate and melt in a large heatproof bowl with the butter, oil and sugar over a pan of gently simmering water until smooth and glossy. Remove the bowl from the heat and leave to cool for 10 minutes, then, using an electric hand whisk at high speed, one-by-one beat in the eggs until combined. Sift in the flour and cocoa with a good pinch of sea salt and beat for a short while until just combined. Pour into the prepared tin and bake for around 50 minutes, or until an inserted skewer comes out ever so slightly gooey (the top of the cake will rise up and crack slightly, but don't worry, it'll end up covered by all your lovely toppings). Leave to cool in the tin for 15 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Place on a cake stand, use a long knife to carefully slice the sponge in half and remove the top sponges to a separate plate.
For the crispy chocolatey rice layer, smash up the chocolate and melt with the butter and cream in a large heatproof bowl over a pan of gently simmering water until smooth and glossy. Leave to cool for 5 minutes (to avoid soggy cereal!), then stir in the puffed rice until evenly coated. Set aside until needed.
To make the nougat frosting, place the egg whites in a heatproof bowl with the honey, sugar, cream of tartar, a good pinch of salt and a splash of water. Place over a pan of gently simmering water, turn up the heat and, with an electric hand whisk, beat for 6 to 7 minutes or until it starts to form peaks. Remove the bowl from the heat, add the vanilla extract and rose water(if using), then carry on beating the mixture until thick.
To finish the cake off, spread half of the crispy chocolate puffed rice on the bottom layer of sponge, top with half of the nougat and spread it out until even. Place the second layer of cake and top with the rest of the chocoalte puffed rice followed by the rest of the nougat. Top with shavings of extra chocolate and enjoy!
Layers of decadent fudgy chocolate cake, crunchy chocolate-y puffed rice, ooey-gooey, honey and rose nougat frosting and a sprinkling of chocolate over the top - this cake is all that you've ever dreamed of and oh-so-much more!!
Crazy Tasty Chocolate Celebration Cake
For the sponge:
250g unsalted butter, plus extra for greasing 150g quality dark chocolate (70%)
2 tablespoons olive oil
300g caster sugar
6 large free-range eggs
150g self-raising flour
4 tablespoons quality cocoa powder
For the chocolate rice layer:
300g quality dark chocolate (70%), plus extra to serve
75g butter
100ml double cream
100g puffed rice cereal
For the nougat frosting:
2 large free-range egg whites
3 tablespoons runny honey
200g caster sugar
1 teaspoon cream of tartar
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
½ teaspoon rose water (optional)
Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/gas 4. Grease a deep 23cm loose-bottomed cake tin and line the base and sides with greaseproof paper.
For the sponge, smash up the chocolate and melt in a large heatproof bowl with the butter, oil and sugar over a pan of gently simmering water until smooth and glossy. Remove the bowl from the heat and leave to cool for 10 minutes, then, using an electric hand whisk at high speed, one-by-one beat in the eggs until combined. Sift in the flour and cocoa with a good pinch of sea salt and beat for a short while until just combined. Pour into the prepared tin and bake for around 50 minutes, or until an inserted skewer comes out ever so slightly gooey (the top of the cake will rise up and crack slightly, but don't worry, it'll end up covered by all your lovely toppings). Leave to cool in the tin for 15 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Place on a cake stand, use a long knife to carefully slice the sponge in half and remove the top sponges to a separate plate.
For the crispy chocolatey rice layer, smash up the chocolate and melt with the butter and cream in a large heatproof bowl over a pan of gently simmering water until smooth and glossy. Leave to cool for 5 minutes (to avoid soggy cereal!), then stir in the puffed rice until evenly coated. Set aside until needed.
To make the nougat frosting, place the egg whites in a heatproof bowl with the honey, sugar, cream of tartar, a good pinch of salt and a splash of water. Place over a pan of gently simmering water, turn up the heat and, with an electric hand whisk, beat for 6 to 7 minutes or until it starts to form peaks. Remove the bowl from the heat, add the vanilla extract and rose water(if using), then carry on beating the mixture until thick.
To finish the cake off, spread half of the crispy chocolate puffed rice on the bottom layer of sponge, top with half of the nougat and spread it out until even. Place the second layer of cake and top with the rest of the chocoalte puffed rice followed by the rest of the nougat. Top with shavings of extra chocolate and enjoy!
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