One can not easily get bored of chocolate cakes. Whether it is the urge to satisfy the craving for dessert, beat the everyday blues or reward oneself with a cheat meal, this chocolaty indulgence is the ultimate resort that never quite loses its charm. Besides great taste, chocolates are popularly known to alleviate stress. The credit goes to the flavonoid-rich cocoa which is the main component of chocolate cake, and is known to enhance mood besides positively impacting vascular blood flow. What's more, it can be baked with much ease at home with just a few commonly available and basic ingredients like flour, baking powder, milk, sugar and cocoa powder.
The genesis of the chocolate cake can be traced back to the 17th century when cocoa powder procured from the Americans was introduced into regular cake recipes. It was in 1828, that Coenraad van Houten of the Netherland, known as a chocolate maker, devised a method for reducing the bitterness of cocoa and making cocoa solids more water-soluble. However, the first-ever chocolate cake was made only in 1886 when American cooks started adding chocolate to the cake batter. The good old chocolate cake has today proliferated into numerous variants which include the Black Forest, Chocolate souffle cake, Devil's food cake, Fudge cake, Molten chocolate cake, and Red velvet cake.
Preparation time : 45 minutes
Cooking time : 30 minutes
Servings : 2-3
Ingredients
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- ½ cup cocoa powder
- 1 cup milk
- Butter to grease
- Vegetable oil - ¾ cup
- 2-3 eggs
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 2-3 tbsps Nutella
- 3 tbsps chocolate chips
- Vanilla essence - 1 ½ tsp
Method
- Sieve together all the dry ingredients; all-purpose flour, cocoa powder, and granulated sugar in a bowl to ensure that the cake is light and airy. Mix these ingredients well and keep them aside.
- In the meanwhile preheat the oven for 10 minutes at 180 degrees celsius.
- In another bowl, pour vegetable oil, milk, and vanilla essence and then add the eggs, one at a time; beat and mix all well with a whisker. Then transfer liquid ingredients into the bowl containing dry ingredients and fold gently using a spoon or spatula. Blend it to form a smooth batter and make sure there are no lumps in it. Add milk to adjust consistency. Grease the cake tin generously with butter and pour the batter into it.
- Pour Nutella in the centre of the batter, top it up with chocolate chips and pat the container to settle down the liquid and release air bubbles.
Optional : You can also top it with chopped walnuts and cashews. Put the cake tin in the preheated oven and cook it for 30 minutes at 180 degrees celsius. After 10 minutes, check if the cake is completely baked by poking a toothpick in the center of the cake. If it comes out clean, then the cake is considered to be fully baked. Let the cake cool completely and flip it into a plate and enjoy the dessert. Eating a slice of homemade moist chocolate cake, with a cold drink of one's choice on a calm evening amidst the hustle of life, can leave you feeling delighted with the endorphins kicking in.