Tuesday 15 March 2011

No-apology chocolate cake

chocolate yogurt cake 1


It hasn’t escaped my notice that I seem to post rather a lot about chocolate and cakes, and often both at the same time. I don’t think that’s a bad thing. World peace could probably be achieved if only there was enough chocolate and cake to go around, but that’s another discussion entirely.

So, because I firmly believe in not fixing something if it’s working perfectly well, I hereby bring you yet another chocolate and cake post. It will add inches to your waistline, up your cholesterol levels, stoke up your blood sugar and, most of all, do wonders for your soul.

This particular creation of chocolate joy is all the more delectable for its idiot-proof simplicity and use of store cupboard ingredients. You don’t need a kilo of chocolate or tons of butter to make it, and nor do you need any fancy gadgets or trickery. You just mix everything together, slap it in the tin, and wait for it to emerge from the oven some time later. Even I can do that.

chocolate yogurt cake 2

I first came across this recipe a few years ago, when moneysavingexpert.com was a relative novelty (and when Twitter had barely even got going), and I was drawn to the site for its gathering together of food-loving wallet-watchers. As Frugal Cook would surely agree, some extraordinarily good recipes can spring from straitened times.

You can either read the original post, recipe, and commentary here, or read on for my ever-so-slightly edited and tweaked version.

Chocolate yogurt cake
5 fl oz vegetable oil
5 fl oz natural yoghurt
4 level tbsp golden syrup
6 oz caster sugar
3 eggs
8 oz self-raising flour
3 rounded tbsp cocoa
½ level tsp bicarbonate of soda
½ level tsp salt

1. Heat your oven to 325°F/160°C/gas mark 3. Grease and line an 8" round cake tin.

2. Place oil, yoghurt, syrup, caster sugar and eggs in a bowl; beat with a wooden spoon until well mixed. Sift flour, cocoa, bicarbonate of soda and salt into bowl and mix well.

3. Pour mixture into prepared tin and bake in centre of oven for 1hr 30 mins - 1hr 40 mins. Test with the fingers. If cooked, the cake should spring back and have begun to shrink away from the side of the tin.

4. Leave cake to cool in tin, then turn out and remove paper. EAT! (when cool, obviously... Patience is a virtue, remember.)

chocolate yogurt cake 3

To store: wrap in foil; keep 2 to 3 days for full flavour (a cruel tease, I know), then up to 1 week in a tin.

If you want to create some additional interest, throw some ground cardamom and/or orange or lime zest into the mix. There’s no reason, either, why you shouldn’t smother the whole thing with ganache. But it really is perfectly good on its own, or else served with a dollop of crème fraiche.

chocolate yogurt cake 4

20 comments:

The Viking said...

*gulp* This looks like one lovely cake.

I can't take my eyes off of it...

Kavey said...

Looks good. GOOD. G*O*O*D.

Choclette said...

You can never have too much chocolate or two much cake I reckon - waistline and scales not being part of this equation! Looks like another excellent recipe to add to my "list".

Johanna GGG said...

mmm I want a piece - please keep posting chocolate and cake preferably in the same post - you can never go wrong with chocolate cake!

things we make said...

Love that first photo, Helen.

We have decided we seriously need to cut back on the goodies due to issues with waistlines, so I need to curb my urge to make a cake whenever I see a good one on a blog.

I shall just have to admire this one from afar.

aforkfulofspaghetti said...

Viking - you need to do more than that. You need to MAKE IT.

Kavey - ta, hon. It is!

Choclette - we understand each other ;)

Johanna - no, indeedy :) I'll do my best, BTW.

Claire - noooooo! You NEEDS cake!

Valerie Harrison (bellini) said...

You can never have enough chocolate cake!!!!!

Cook in a Curry said...

With a gorgeous shiny piece of chocolate cake like that gleaming at me all I want it a cup of tea in tow. YUM!

Sarah said...

There are so many times where I just want a straightforward, simple chocolate cake. This looks perfect (except I've never actually purchased golden syrup, but think I've seen it at a few grocery stores).

The Caked Crusader said...

I adore golden syrup in a chocolate cake - it's a magical ingredient and your cake looks suitably wonderful!

Jacqueline Meldrum said...

I bet that would be great with custard! It is a handsome looking chocolate cake :)

Alicia Foodycat said...

Frankly I am just happy to see you posting, even if it is another cake! And it does look like a lovely one.

aforkfulofspaghetti said...

Val - how right you are ;)

Cook in a Curry - yes, I get that feeling frequently, too. Funny, that...

Sarah - hunt it down. You won't regret it

Cakey - why, thank you. 'Twas the golden syrup wot did it

Jacqueline - you're probably right. But then again, most things are great with custard ;)

Foodycat - awwww... *blushes* Thank you! What would you like me to post about, if not cake?

martyn said...

trying it now :) thanks lets hope its tasty :)

martyn said...

Just thought I would add im going to melt some bournville choc and make a lovely sauce and serve with ice cream.

By the way I had a lecture about blogs today and used yours in my work, we had to get statistics, silly things like word count per post etc and this is what yours has done to me. I come home and bake a cake. I had no cake tin so I had to use a saucepan, the deepest one I could find. So I hope it comes out alright.

Martyn =]

Uncle Ji said...

I LOVE yoghurt cakes and chocolate cakes made from cocoa and not chocolate - for years I foolishly assumed chocolate cakes had to have chocolate in and saw cocoa as a sort of poor relative. How wrong I was! I find cocoa cakes to be much better and richer in chocolate flavour than those made with chocolate. Of course it's obvious really when you think about ti :)
I will make this, looks awesome!

Raspberry Salad said...

I thinks enjoying chocolate cake is eating a balanced diet...a plate of chocolate cake in EACH hand!
Great site and amazing photography...I love food pics..the details and beauty of food pics you don't notice when you have a piece of cake in front of me...I can only focus on how quickly I can consume it! lol

I shall add this site to my favourites are read more back posts.

Greetings from Ontario Canada!

Cakelaw said...

Wow, this cake looks sooooooooo good. Please do keep blogging about chocolate ...

Catering In Brighton said...

wow ! beautiful & spongy chocolaty beauty.

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