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I postpone death by living, by suffering, by error, by risking, by giving, by losing, by achieving.

Dec 16, 2011

Everyday chocolate cake



A special treat on Christmas Eve. We all, should have a slice of chocolate cake or anything chocolate and be happy during this special season


And I decided to bake this cake, using my Grandmother's baking method. Have I mentioned she was once a teacher, and a baker? 


RECIPE 
Adapted from At home with Magnolia


1/2 cup (1 stick or 4 ounces) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup (6 7/8 ounces) firmly packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup (4 ounces) granulated sugar
1 large egg, at room temperature
1 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups (6 3/4 ounces) all-purpose flour
3/4 cup (2 5/8 ounces) Dutch cocoa powder 
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt



Preheat the oven to 170C/325F
Butter and lightly flour a 9×5x3-inch loaf pan
In a large bowl, on the medium speed of an electric mixer, cream the butter until smooth. Add the sugars and beat until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the egg and beat well, then the buttermilk and vanilla. Don’t worry if the batter looks a little uneven.It should looks like that.
Sift the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt together right into your wet ingredients. Stir together with a spoon until well-blended but do not overmix. Scrape down the batter in the bowl, making sure the ingredients are well blended.


Bake in the oven, providing only bottom heat and bake for 25 minutes. Switch to top and bottom heat and bake for another 15 minutes and then again, switch back to bottom heat only for another 10 minutes. Baking this way will keep your cake aloft (vanilla-raisin cake, chocolate cake...) which I've seen a lot of professional bakers fail trying. Most of them think that it's because of the leavener but I think not!


To check, insert a toothpick or a thin knife in the center of the cake, if it comes out clean, the cake is done. If not, you may want to bake for another couple of minutes, using bottom heat only.
it comes in loaf-shape

It took me an hour to bake this cake
a slice from the loaf with whipped cream and raspberries
to slice, wait until it cooled completely.

a close-up look
a little bit crunchy on the outside. Soft, dense, and rich inside...


Wish everyone a happy season
Again, I couldn't manage myself to take photos of the making process
Cheers!

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