Rachel Allen - Home Baking

6. When the glaze has thickened, put one of the cakes upside down on a cake stand or plate. (You can use a plate turned upside down, which is quite convenient for icing the sides of the cake.)

7. Put some of the glaze on the top of the cake on the plate to cover it. Put the second cake on the first and then tip all the remaining glaze on top and, using a palette knife, spread it to cover the sides and top of the cake. To decorate the cake, scatter the toasted hazelnuts over the top and drizzle with the teaspoon of honey. Serve.

Triple Chocolate celebration cake

Developed by my friend Pamela Black, this is a cake that doesn’t need too much of an introduction – the title says it all! It’s a guaranteed crowd-pleaser.

Serves 10–12

350g (12oz) butter, softened, plus extra for greasing

350g (12oz) caster sugar

6 eggs

350g (12oz) plain flour

2 tsp baking powder

40g (1½oz) cocoa powder

40g (1½oz) drinking chocolate

200g (7oz) natural yoghurt

110g (3¾oz) dark chocolate (55–62% cocoa solids), roughly chopped

gold leaf or icing sugar, to decorate

For the white chocolate buttercream filling

110g (3¾oz) white chocolate (melted and cooled)

225g (8oz) butter, softened

450g (1lb) icing sugar

For the chocolate glacé icing

110g (3¾oz) icing sugar

50g (1¾oz) cocoa powder

15g (½oz) butter

½ tsp vanilla extract

four 18cm (7in) sandwich tins; baking sheet

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F) Gas mark 4. Grease the base and sides of the tins, and dust lightly with flour. Put the butter in a large bowl and cream it with a wooden spoon until soft, or use an electric beater on slow or a food processor. Add the sugar and beat until light and fluffy.

2. Add the eggs, one at a time, adding 1 tablespoon flour each time and beating well after each addition. Sift the remaining flour, the baking powder, cocoa and drinking chocolate together in a bowl. Gradually fold into the egg mixture to combine. Finally, fold in the yoghurt.

3. Divide between the prepared tins. Bake for 20–25 minutes until firm to the touch. Leave to cool in the tins on a wire rack for 5 minutes, then turn out and leave on the rack to cool completely.

4. Meanwhile, make chocolate curls for the topping. Melt the chocolate in a heatproof bowl over a pan of gently simmering water, making sure the base of the bowl doesn’t touch the water, and stirring regularly. Spread thinly over the back of a baking sheet and leave it to cool in the fridge until firm but not fridge-hard.

5. Hold a long, sharp knife at the top of the baking sheet and tilt it at an angle towards you with one hand on the handle and the other at the top of the blade. Very carefully pull the knife towards you, scraping the chocolate as you go. Curls should start to peel up from the sheet. If it crumbles, the chocolate is too cold, and if it goes gooey, it’s too warm. Keep scraping down, returning the sheet to the fridge for a few minutes if it gets too warm, until you have shaved all the chocolate and collected enough curls for the top of the cake. Leave somewhere cool until needed. (They can be made a few days in advance.)

6. To make the buttercream filling, melt the chocolate in a heatproof bowl over a pan of gently simmering water, making sure the base of the bowl doesn’t touch the water, and stirring regularly. Leave to cool.

7. Put the butter in a large bowl and cream it with a wooden spoon until light and fluffy, or use an electric beater on slow or a food processor. Sift in the icing sugar, beat well, then add 2 tablespoons hot water. Gently fold in the cooled melted white chocolate.

8. To make the icing, sift the icing sugar and cocoa powder into a bowl. Heat the butter, vanilla extract and 3 tablespoons water in a saucepan over a medium heat until just at boiling point. Pour into the icing sugar and cocoa, then beat well using a wooden spoon. The icing should be the consistency of fresh double cream; if it is too thick, add a little more warm water, then cool slightly before using.

9. Spread three cakes with half the white chocolate filling and then stack them together on an icing turntable. Put the remaining cake on top and carefully spread the top and sides with the remaining buttercream. Chill in the fridge for at least 1 hour until firm.

10. Gently pour the chocolate glacé icing over the top of the cake, allowing it to drizzle slightly and unevenly down the sides. Leave to set before piling the chocolate curls on top. Decorate with a little gold leaf for total decadence or dust the chocolate curls with icing sugar.

Chocolate pain d’épices

This cake is not overly sweet but it has an intriguing spice combination. It’s worth splashing out on a really good high-cocoa chocolate bar that will add to the layers of wonderful flavours and aromas.

Serves 8

125g (4½oz) butter, plus extra for greasing

150g (5½oz) dark chocolate (55–62% cocoa solids), roughly chopped

150g (5½oz) caster sugar

3 eggs, lightly beaten

55g (2oz) ground almonds

¾ tsp ground cinnamon

½ tsp ground ginger

½ tsp ground cloves

½ tsp ground cardamom

icing sugar, for dusting

a mint sprig or an edible flower, to decorate

lightly whipped cream, to serve

20cm (8in) round springform cake tin with a high side

1. Preheat the oven to 160°C (315°F) Gas mark 2½. Grease the sides of the tin, and line the base with baking parchment.

2. Put the chocolate, butter and sugar in a large heatproof bowl over a saucepan of water, making sure the base of the bowl doesn’t touch the water. Put over a medium heat and bring the water to the boil, then immediately remove the pan from the heat. Leave the chocolate to melt slowly, stirring regularly. When smooth, stir in the eggs. Fold in the ground almonds and then sift in the cinnamon, ginger, cloves and cardamom. Fold in to combine.

3. Pour the mixture into the prepared tin and bake for 40–50 minutes until the centre is just set. Leave to cool in the tin on a wire rack.

4. When the cake is completely cool, carefully take it out of the tin and put it on a serving plate or cake stand. Dust with icing sugar and decorate with a sprig of mint or edible flower. Serve with cream.

Glazed chocolate cake

Enjoy this unadulterated chocolate indulgence for the truest of chocaholics. I top this with beautiful crystallised rose petals to add some colour for an occasion, but if that’s too much of a distraction from the chocolate, I understand.

Serves 8

125g (4½oz) butter, plus extra for greasing

150g (5½oz) dark chocolate (55–62% cocoa solids), chopped

150g (5½oz) caster sugar

3 eggs, lightly beaten

50g (1¾oz) ground almonds

crystallised rose petals(optional), to decorate

For the chocolate glaze

110g (3¾oz) dark chocolate (55–62% cocoa solids), chopped

2 tbsp milk

50g (1¾oz) butter

20cm (8in) cake tin

1. Preheat the oven to 160°C (315°F) Gas mark 2½. Grease the side of the tin, and line the base with baking parchment. Put the chocolate, butter and sugar in a large heatproof bowl over a pan of gently simmering water, making sure the base of the bowl doesn’t touch the water. Melt the mixture and stir until smooth. Beat in the eggs, then fold in the almonds.

2. Pour the mixture into the prepared cake tin and bake for 40–50 minutes until the centre is just set. Leave to cool in the tin on a wire rack.

3. To make the chocolate glaze, put all the ingredients in a heatproof bowl over a pan of gently simmering water as before and melt together, stirring occasionally until smooth. Leave for 10 minutes to cool a little or until it has thickened slightly, but do not put the bowl in the fridge, as the mixture will lose its glossy sheen.