Chocolate cake tips and recipes please! (merged)

Hi everyone,

It's my sister's 18th next week and I really want to bake her a chocolate cake. I used to do a little bit of baking years ago, but I've tried to bake a couple of simple cakes this past week as practice but they haven't come out very well. First I tried to make a cake the other day and I think there was a bit too little of the mixture to fill the cake tins, and it didn't seem to rise at all. So when I got it out of the oven each layer was so thin it looked really silly, even though I made loads of icing to bulk it up a bit, and boyfriend said it tasted nice but even still it did look silly and more like a biscuit.

Then tonight I was full of hope again as I set out to make a Delia choc cake, the mixture looked divine and I had more of it this time so it filled the tins better. But today's cake came out all crumbly and when I took it out of the tin little bits fell everywhere.

Has anyone got either a foolproof recipe that even a child could not mess up or else any baking tips to stop the other ones going wrong? I am starting to despair as by the weekend I am so desperate to have a recipe that is foolproof and will come out like a normal choc cake for my sis and I do NOT want to give in and just buy one from the supermarket.

Thanks in advance, i hope you can help me.

sarah
Yesterday is today's memories, tomorrow is today's dreams :)
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Comments

  • I'm not sure about your oven temp. is it reliable? assuming it is, try a basic Victoria replacing some of the flour with cocoa (not drinking choc)So a 6oz mix will be fine for an 8" sandwich cake - that's 6oz of castor sugar, marge, eggs (3 eggs is usually 6oz but I always break them and whisk them to weigh them) 41/2 oz SR flour and 1 1/2 oz cocoa sifted together. This will fill 2 x 8" sandwich tins.

    edited because I was stupid :o
    I just realised that I had suggested 6" tins, it was a typo and has been corrected
  • squeaky
    squeaky Posts: 14,129
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    There's also a Milk Chocolate Cake straight from the Be-ro book recipe in our collection. Click on the blue (The Index) in my signature below, go to The Old Style Recipe Collection and then Cakes etc.

    That's pretty bullet proof. :)

    Edit: I can't find it. :( I'll go look... it's Here.
    Hi, I'm a Board Guide on the Old Style and the Consumer Rights boards which means I'm a volunteer to help the boards run smoothly and can move and merge posts there. Board guides are not moderators and don't read every post. If you spot an inappropriate or illegal post then please report it to [email protected]. It is not part of my role to deal with reportable posts. Any views are mine and are not the official line of MoneySavingExpert.
    Never ascribe to malice that which is adequately explained by incompetence.
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  • misty
    misty Posts: 1,042 Forumite
    I'd also go for the Victoria Sponge too. Although I do a lot of home cooking - I have always steered clear of cakes but a Victoria sponge is easy. I would check that you have pre-heated your oven and that it is springy in the middle before you take it out. I've used this one from the bbc website

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/database/chocolatevictoriasan_6376.shtml
  • Queenie
    Queenie Posts: 8,793 Forumite
    You've had recipes suggested already just wanted to add:

    - make sure all your ingredients have had a chance to come up to room temperature for about an hour before you begin (ie, butter, eggs). Can't remember the "theory" behind it, but I do know it helps

    - fold your flour into your mixture - if you whisk it, you risk losing all the lovely air you've beaten into your egg part!

    I bet your sister will be thrilled with your cake for her 18th! :D Good luck.
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  • Chris25
    Chris25 Posts: 12,918
    Photogenic First Anniversary First Post I've been Money Tipped!
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    Did you use baking powder? If so how old is it? It only has a 3 month shelf life.

    I'm sure she'll be delighted anyhow. Remember if it does come out flatter than you'd like, you can always load strawberries (which go particularly well with choc) and cream on top and pretend it was supposed to be like that :D
  • moggins
    moggins Posts: 5,190
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    All this baking talk is making me feel envious, I'm going to have to get my spirit level out now :(
    Organised people are just too lazy to look for things

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  • rchddap1
    rchddap1 Posts: 5,926 Forumite
    Chocolate cake...yum. I remember a recipe for chocolate fudge topping that I like to use. If I remember correctly its:-

    2oz margarine
    1oz cocoa
    2tbsp milk
    8oz icing sugar

    Melt the marg in a bowl over boiling water...add in the cocoa and milk...stir a bit until silky and smooth. Then add in the icing sugar bit by bit stiring each bit before you add some more. When you finish you should have a warm chocolate fudge topping that you can put both inside the cake, and on top.

    Which reminds me...I'll have to make some this weekend.
    Baby Year 1: Oh dear...on the move

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  • Queenie
    Queenie Posts: 8,793 Forumite
    rchddap1 - are you going to put that in the Recipe thread? You don't want squeaky moaning at you for forgetting :D
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  • squeaky
    squeaky Posts: 14,129
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    Queenie: <thwack!>

    rchddap1: Yes please

    Queenie: :p

    rchddap1: Thanking you in anticipation.

    Queenie: :)
    Hi, I'm a Board Guide on the Old Style and the Consumer Rights boards which means I'm a volunteer to help the boards run smoothly and can move and merge posts there. Board guides are not moderators and don't read every post. If you spot an inappropriate or illegal post then please report it to [email protected]. It is not part of my role to deal with reportable posts. Any views are mine and are not the official line of MoneySavingExpert.
    Never ascribe to malice that which is adequately explained by incompetence.
    DTFAC: Y.T.D = £5.20 Apr £0.50
  • Queenie
    Queenie Posts: 8,793 Forumite
    squeaky wrote:
    Queenie: <thwack!>

    You spilt my coffee!! :(
    squeaky wrote:
    Queenie: :p

    Awwww, thanks for licking it up :D
    squeaky wrote:
    Queenie: :)
    :hello: :D
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