Monday, February 20, 2012

Climax (Bittersweet Chocolate Cake)

From when does baking a luscious chocolate cake need any excuse?? And in case if the chocolate cake is also one of the healthiest versions of the breed you can find on earth, would you still need an excuse to bake it or at least gulp it down? What if I assure you that it is one of the simplest recipes to bake too? Hypothetically speaking, you are one of the most logical rational beings on the planet who does not do anything without a 'reason'. Well, although I am not clairvoyant, I can already see your Monday blues turning chocolatey as and when you mix the ingredients on your bowl, make the batter for the cake, pour it on the baking pan and eagerly wait for the hot cake to be ready to serve or rather, gulp-gulp!

I call it the Climax (Bittersweet Chocolate Cake)!!


Magic Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour or 'maida'
3 large eggs
8 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate (I used semisweet)
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup boiling water
2 1/2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)



Baking the Climax (the cake, I mean):
Preheat oven to 350°F.

Line bottom of 9-inch-diameter cake pan with 2-inch-high sides with waxed paper, or lightly butter bottom and sides of pan, or, lightly spray your vegetable cooking oil (I did this. eeee!) on the bottom and sides of your baking pan. I use a metal baking pan but you can also use the foil trays.

Chop the bittersweet chocolate bars (for quick melting) and place them in a microwave-safe container. Microwave at 'medium' (50%) for 1 minute; stir. If necessary, microwave at MEDIUM an additional 15 seconds at a time, stirring after each heating, until chocolate is melted and smooth when stirred.

Beat the eggs first. Combine all purpose flour, baking powder, 3/4 cup granulated sugar, vegetable oil, water (in the same order) in a large mixing bowl. Beat at medium speed with electric mixer for 3 minutes, or use your hand/fork and whisk for 10 minutes. Combine the melted chocolate and 1/2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder Stir in chopped walnuts. Pour into prepared pan.
Combine rest of the granulated sugar (1/4 cup), brown sugar and cocoa (2 tbsp) powder in small bowl. Sprinkle over batter. Pour boiling water over all. Do not stir.

Bake 50 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center halfway to bottom comes out clean. Serve warm with lots of love! Savor! Gulp!



P.S. I did not do any decoration as I was too eager for the first bite. I would suggest you to sift some powdered sugar over the cake and decorate with crispy walnuts, take a picture of your cake and share it here!!

3 comments:

  1. As the person who tasted this first (after the chef, evidently) - I concur - this is really good (although maybe not climactic!) :)

    ReplyDelete
  2. Thanks Sudipta! And here you miss your chance to taste the next cake that I bake, precisely for this part of your comment - "(although maybe not climactic!)"! :P

    ReplyDelete
  3. why does it look like it suffered an earth quake?! just kidding... keep posting baking recipes; i can try them out! :)

    ReplyDelete