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My Perfectly Imperfect Chocolate Cake

March 15, 2015 By All That I'm Eating 18 Comments

I have a secret and I’m pretty sure I’m not the only one who keeps this quiet. I love baking, but, most of the time it never turns out quite how I envisaged it would. Getting all of a huff in the kitchen when the butter is still too cold, spilling the ingredients even when I’m being extra careful and being super paranoid checking the oven temperature is an awful lot of hard work for something that turns out too flat, not quite right or sinks in the middle. Cakes, I’m looking at you. Frankly, I’ve had enough of aiming for perfection and frowning at anything that dares to come out of the oven less than 100% correct, and if it tastes good who cares if it looks a bit skewiff? Enter my Perfectly Imperfect Chocolate Cake.

Perfect Chocolate Cake - All That I'm Eating (1 of 3)You will need (for the cake):

  • 110g plain flour
  • 40g cocoa powder
  • 125g caster sugar
  • 125g butter
  • 2 eggs
  • Drop vanilla extract

For the icing:

  • 200g caramel chocolate bars
  • 75ml double cream

Perfect Chocolate Cake - All That I'm Eating (2 of 3)Start by creaming the butter, sugar and vanilla extract together until light and creamy. This always takes much longer than I think it will.

Add the eggs, one at a time and mix until fully incorporated. If it curdles, add a bit of flour and it should all be ok.

Sift the flour and cocoa together into the sugar mix and fold the flour through.

Divide between two greased 18cm cake tins, smooth over and bake at 160C for 20-25 minutes or until cooked. I normally poke the top of the cake and check it springs back before I take it out of the oven.

Remove from the tin and leave to cool on a wire rack.

To make the icing, put a bowl over a pan of simmering water. Break up the caramel chocolate and add it to the bowl. Let it melt slowly. It will look a bit grainy and thick when it’s all melted so at this point, add the cream and mix all together really well until smooth.

Use the icing to sandwich the two cakes together then use the rest to spread over the top and outside edges.

Perfect Chocolate Cake - All That I'm Eating (3 of 3)I like an honest, slightly wonky, not polished cake; it’s more inviting, more tempting to cut in to. The whole point of this cake is that it is simple to make but tastes fantastic. No, it’s not the tallest cake in the world or the widest, or the one with the most layers but wait till you get a taste of that icing. This is the cake you bake when you want to don your apron and scratch that baking itch but it’s not about looks it’s all about taste; it’s perfectly imperfect.

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Filed Under: Baking, Butter, Cake, Caramel, Chocolate, Dairy & Eggs, Eggs, March, Pudding, Recipes By Month, Seasons, Spring Tagged With: Baking, cake, Chocolate, recipe

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Comments

  1. Mark Willis says

    March 15, 2015 at 14:58

    The true test of a cake is surely to eat it with your eyes shut – then you can appreciate the taste and texture without worrying about the looks!

    Reply
  2. Melanie says

    March 15, 2015 at 20:37

    This looks amazing! I want to make it!
    Melanie @ meandmr.com

    Reply
  3. Melanie says

    March 15, 2015 at 20:37

    This looks amazing! I really want to make it!
    Melanie @ meandmr.com

    Reply
  4. Alida says

    March 16, 2015 at 12:03

    I entirely agree with you! My cakes are never perfect either but who cares.. as long as they taste OK and homemade always tastes better anyway.
    I love the simplicity of your chocolate cake, easy and delicious. xx

    Reply
  5. Betty says

    March 17, 2015 at 02:07

    It looks like a delicious homemade cake to me! As long as it tastes good, it really doesn’t matter to me what it looks like. Perfect appearance does not always equal tastiness! 🙂

    Reply
  6. Angie@Angie's Recipes says

    March 17, 2015 at 05:05

    It looks so FRENCH and beautiful!

    Reply
  7. Hilary says

    March 17, 2015 at 15:53

    Hi Caroline, Just made this but it’s very flat. Is there really no raising agent? It could be me! Hilary

    Reply
    • Caroline Taylor says

      March 17, 2015 at 16:26

      Hi Hilary, no there is no raising agent, it’s all about beating the butter and sugar for long enough (in my experience), my two cakes were quite flat, less than an inch high each I’d say!

      Reply
  8. Liz says

    March 17, 2015 at 23:01

    My family keeps telling me they don’t care what a dessert looks like as long as it tastes good. I have a feeling they’d love your layer cake—and that glossy icing is beautiful!!!

    Reply
  9. Choc Chip Uru says

    March 18, 2015 at 01:15

    Your cake looks absolutely delicious, I need to try it 😀
    Chocolatey goodness at its best!

    Cheers
    Choc Chip Uru

    Reply
  10. Momma Baker says

    March 18, 2015 at 05:16

    Your cake looks really good! I love baking too but I can’t frost a cupcake with a tip for my life. So for now I’ll stick with my handy spoon.lol

    Reply
  11. Katerina says

    March 18, 2015 at 08:38

    It looks perfect to me!

    Reply
  12. Lucy says

    March 18, 2015 at 08:59

    This is my perfect cake it looks wonderfully yummy and who doesn’t love chocolate Lucy x

    Reply
  13. Nava Krishnan says

    March 18, 2015 at 12:23

    I am laughing here. Sound familiar with this not so good person with baking. But like said, who cares. The cake is nice and again I don’t really care about perfectness.

    Reply
  14. Pam says

    March 18, 2015 at 15:28

    Baking can be tricky sometimes. I think your cake looks and sounds tasty!

    Reply
  15. John/Kitchen Riffs says

    March 18, 2015 at 17:34

    I know all about that spilling ingredients thing! Flour gets everywhere, doesn’t it? Lovely cake — looks perfect to me! Thanks.

    Reply
  16. anna says

    March 18, 2015 at 17:36

    That looks gorgeous, just delicious and would be perfect for me! Who wants a cake that looks like it came from a shop anyway (perfect cakes can look a bit suspicious…!)

    Reply

Trackbacks

  1. My Favourite Recipes of 2015 - All That I'm Eating says:
    February 10, 2017 at 14:10

    […] This cake is for the other bakers who are just like me; full of enthusiasm and chasing perfection but rarely achieving anything like what you envisaged in your head before you started. My Perfectly Imperfect Chocolate cake tastes absolutely cracking, because of my amazing (yes, self praising) cheat’s icing. Who cares if it’s a bit wonky? Full post here. […]

    Reply

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Hello I’m Caroline

Welcome to my site All That I’m Eating. You will find inventive recipes using seasonal and foraged ingredients as well as everyday easy meals and a few indulgent recipes too.

I believe humble food doesn’t have to be hum drum so whether you’ve oodles of onions, superfluous sausages or apples aplenty I hope you enjoy having a look around.

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