Wednesday 16 April 2014

Classic Chocolate Cake with Rhubarb & Pimms.

This is a heavenly cake, the recipe of which I have taken from Nigella's book "Feast". The recipe is so simple and the result is simply stunning. I have added my touch to the cake,I made a rhubarb and Pimms puree, to add the sharp , sour contrast to the velvety richness of the chocolate.The decoration is simply optional, I used some jellied fruit and edible glitter.
For the rhubarb puree:
3 long stalks of rhubarb
50 ml of Pimms
50 gr of jam sugar
Wash and cut the rhubarb, place it in the small saucepan with sugar and Pimms.
Cook over the low heat, until the rhubarb is soft and the juice is pink.

Cool it down and puree with a blender.
Set aside for later.
For the cake we will need:
200 gr plain flour
200 gr caster sugar
1 tsp baking powder
half a tsp bicarbonate soda
60 gr of good quality cocoa
175 gr unsalted butter, soft
2 eggs
150 ml soured cream
Make sure all ingredients are room temperature before you start.
Preheat the oven gas mark 4/180C.
Put all the ingredients in the big mixing bowl and stir well, with a wooden spoon or a spatula.
After all the ingredients are combined, beat it with a mixer, until smooth.



Divide the batter equally between two 20 cm cake tins, or silicon forms.Bake for 25-35 minutes, until a wooden skewer comes out clean. Allow the cakes to cool in the forms/tins for 10 minutes and then cool further on a wire rack.

When both cakes have cooled down , spread the rhubarb puree over each of them.
Set aside.

Next step: icing.
75 gr soft unsalted butter
175 gr dark chocolate
300 gr icing sugar (you may need a bit extra)
1 tbsp golden syrup
125 ml soured cream
Melt the chocolate and butter over the pot with boiling water,allow to cool.
Pour the melted chocolate into a big mixing bowl, add the golden syrup and soured cream.
Stir well.

 Sieve the icing sugar, to get rid of lumps, add to the mixture. Beat it together.
If the icing is too runny add more sugar, if too stiff add some water.
Place one of the cakes on a serving platter or a cake stand.
Cut out 4 wide strips of baking paper and place around the cake, push it a bit under the sponge.
Spread 1/3 of icing on one of the cakes and sandwich two cakes together.
Spread the rest of the icing over the top and the sides  of the cake.

 Decorate, if desired. Allow to set before carefully removing the baking paper from underneath(2-3 hours).




Enjoy!

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