My Brand New Blog & Quadruple Chocolate Loaf Cake

So here we are. My fancy brand new blog. I like cooking blogs, I like them a lot. And honestly I don't think I have tme for a blog, but so many people ask for my recipes and methods this seems faster.

So first up: Quadruple Chocolate Loaf Cake!

This is a recipe from Nigella Lawson, featured in her book 'Feast'. I first made this cake about a year ago and wasn't impressed, I found it boring and not worth the effort. I then decided for a reason I can't remember last week to make it again. This is rare for me, if a recipe is bleh the first time I'm unlikely to make it again. But boy! Am I glad I gave this a second chance! Gooey and dark, sweet but not cloying.....heaven!

A few notes, first I didn't take photos....because I forgot. Second I have made a few pointers, as I've now made it three times since my success. Make sure you use DARK chocolate, and good cocoa. If you think you cannot afford good cocoa, go buy the Woolworths Homebrand Cocoa, made in Germany, it's extremely good quality at an extremely reasonable price. Likewise I use Coles brand Belgian Chocolate, reasonably priced and good quality. I believe baking is about using good ingredients but also about being affordable. I also use plain yogurt, instead of sour cream.

For this recipe you'll need the following equipment: Measuring spoons and cups, a spatula, a loaf cake tin lined with alfoil and greased to within an inch of it's life. I cannot stress this enough, do not make this cake without a lined pan. A set of kitchen scales. A chopping board and a sharp knife. And for the syrup a saucepan and wooden spoon.

And now...the cake!

Quadruple Chocolate Loaf Cake

200g plain flour
1/2 tsp bicarb soda
50g cocoa
275g caster sugar
175g softened unsalted butter (I have used salted and it doesn't really make a difference)
2 eggs
1 tbsp vanilla essence
80ml (1/3 cup) yogurt (or sour cream)
125ml boiling water
175g dark chocolate, chopped roughly

For the syrup
1 tsp cocoa
125ml water
100g caster sugar

25g dark chocolate, chopped and splintered.

1. Preheat the oven to 150c. Place everything except the water and chocolate pieces in a food processor or blender and blitz.

2. With the motor running drizzle the water through the funnel, the batter will be very pale and runny.

3. Fold through the chocolate and tip into a pan.

Now, if you don't have a blender or food processor follow the instructions below, I use the mixer method not a food processor as I don't own one!

1. Preheat the oven to 150c. Put the butter and sugar in the bowl of a mixer with a paddle attachment, beat until combined and creamy. Scrape the sides of the bowl down.

2. Add the eggs, and vanilla. Mix until combined. Make sure you scrape again so everything mixes right.

3. Add the flour, bicard, and cocoa and mix well. Scrape the bowl sides again.

4. Add the yogurt and combine. Then with the motor running drizzle the water into the bowl, it should be nice and gooey.

5. Now stir through the chocolate and pour into the tin.

6. Bake for 45 minutes or until a skewer comes out mostly clean.

For the syrup

After you bring the cake out of the oven while it's cooling make up the syrup.

1. Put the water, sugar ad cocoa in a pan and bring to the boil.

2. Allow it to bubble away for a few minutes, you don't want this reduced too much otherwise it'll be too hard.

3. Pour over the cake making sure to get all the nooks and crannies.

4. Allow the cake to almost completely cool, then sprinkle the extra chopped chocolate over the top, I like to make sure the cake is still warm so it slightly melts.

Once cool pull the cake out by the alfoil lining and unwrap, serve and visit chocolate heaven.