Sometimes you just need chocolate, smooth, rich, decadent chocolate. A little moment, some ‘me time’, a little indulgence. Like most, I’m sure, there have been more of those times than ever over the last year in lockdown. Whenever times are hard, stressful, worrying or just downright shite, we reach to the things that bring us comfort, for me that’s food.
The best & most instant gratification can be found in chocolate, there’s just something so naughty & decadent about cocoa that draws us in from a young age. Perhaps it’s down to good marketing, perhaps it’s, the mood-lifting chemicals it creates in our brains (fact), or it could just be because it tastes do damn good! As much as I love pretty much any chocolate, when it comes to chocolate cake, I’m quite particular.
I can’t tell you just how many chocolate cake recipes I’ve tried (& eaten!) in the past in order to find the perfect one, let’s just say I’d give Bruce Bogtrotter a run for his money! For me, a good chocolate cake needs to be so much more than a little cocoa added to some cake batter though. Chocolate cake need to be deep, dark & dense but more than anything it need to be easy, simple to throw together, quick to get in & out of the oven with minimal effort. Enter this rich, moist & fudgy chocolate loaf cake. This is one no fuss recipe that you’ll want to make again & again, dense, fudgy & well, just a little bit amazing really!
FUDGY CHOCOLATE LOAF CAKE
(makes one 2lb loaf)
Ingredients:
For the cake:
- 125g plain flour
- 65g cocoa powder (good quality or dutch process)
- 3/4 tsp bicarbonate of soda
- Pinch of salt
- 1 tsp instant coffee
- 75g yogurt
- 225g butter
- 200g granulated sugar
- 4 large eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
For the ganache:
- 75g dark chocolate
- 75g double cream
Method:
- In a large bowl, begin by softening your butter with a spoon or a hand mixer
- Add the sugar to the bowl & cream together until light & fluffy
- One by one, add the eggs to the bowl, beating after each addition
- Next, dissolve the instant coffee in the yogurt & add this to the bowl along with the vanilla extract & stir through
- Sift the flour, cocoa, bicarbonate & salt into the bowl & beat until everything is thick & smooth
- Pour the mixture into a greased & lined 2lb loaf tin & bake the cake at 160C for 1 hour, until a skewer inserted into the thickest part of the cake comes out cleanly when removed
- Allow the cake to cool in its tin for 15 minutes before removing & leaving to fully cool on a cooling rack
- To make the ganache, place the double cream into a small saucepan & gently heat until it begins to bubble
- Remove the cream from the heat & add in the chocolate
- Stir until the chocolate all melts & everything combines to become smooth & glossy
- Set the ganache aside to cool for 15-30 minutes at room temperature until it thickens a little, enough for spreading
- Liberally spread the ganache all over the top of the cake & enjoy!
