Recipe: The perfect cake for a crowd
If you’re on the shelf about gingerbread, this chocolate and gingerbread cake might just win you over. It’s moist and delicious, has just enough chocolate and is not overpowering in ginger. I’ve added a splash of rum when putting it together, just for a little extra oomph. The white chocolate buttercream is easy to make and adds just enough luxury to finish this cake off. This makes quite a big cake, perfect for a centre piece or a crowd, but by all means reduce the quantities to make a smaller cake, or a loaf for easy cutting.
200gr cream flour
80gr cocoa powder
130gr granulated sugar
35 gr light brown sugar
1 tsp. ground ginger
2/3 tsp. ground cinnamon
2/3 tsp. all spice
¼ tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
¾ tsp. bread soda
½ tsp. baking powder
Pinch of sea salt
163ml milk
186 ml sunflower flower
2 large free-range eggs
87gr treacle
2 tsp. vanilla extract
235ml boiling water
- Preheat the oven to 175 C
- Grease the base and sides of 2 x 9inch spring form tins; place a disk of parchment paper on the base of each.
- Put the flour, cocoa, granulated sugar, caster sugar, spices, bread soda, baking powder and salt in a bowl together then sieve into a clean bowl.
- In a large bowl or measuring jug mix the milk, sunflower oil, eggs, treacle and vanilla.
- Have the kettle on to boil then add the liquid to the dry ingredients and whisk to combine.
- Next add the boiling water and whisk in until an even smooth batter – it will be quite liquid.
- Weigh evenly into the two pans roughly 650 gr in each.
- Bake in the centre of the oven until a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean, roughly 40 minutes.
- Allow to cool in the pan before turning out onto a wire rack and removing the base layer of parchment paper.
White chocolate drops
Unsalted butter
Full fat cream cheese
Icing sugar
Cream
- Place the white chocolate in a bowl over just simmering water the turn off the water.
- Leave to sit for two or three minutes then stir until melted through and smooth.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer with the spade attachment beat the butter until light and fluffy.
- Make sure to scrape down the sides and base, before adding the cream cheese, and then give a good mix.
- Add the icing sugar and mix to combine, finally fold in the melted chocolate.
- Assembly
- Once completely cooled slice each cake in half horizontally.
- Keep a smooth bottom layer for the final top layer of the cake.
- Splash each layer with a little rum as you go. (optional).
- Spread one layer with roughly 1/5 of the icing, then top with another layer of cake repeat the icing and cake until you end with the base layer.
- Use the remaining icing for the top and sides of the cake, spreading evenly.
- You may have some left over, depending on how thickly you want to spread the icing.
- Leave plain or decorate with a few slivers of crystalized ginger.
If you would like to contact mercy email info@wickeddesserts.ie
