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Mocha layer cake

<p>If you've after an all-stops-out, can't-resist chocolate cake, this mocha layer cake fits the bill admirably.</p> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Serves:</span> </strong>12</p> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Ingredients:</span></strong></p> <p>Cake</p> <ul> <li>125g dark chocolate</li> <li>3/4 cup boiling water</li> <li>1/4 cup strong espresso coffee</li> <li>1 teaspoon baking soda</li> <li>250g unsalted butter</li> <li>1 1/2 cups caster sugar</li> <li>4 large eggs, separated</li> <li>1 teaspoon vanilla extract</li> <li>1 orange, finely grated zest</li> <li>2 1/2 cups plain flour</li> <li>1 teaspoon baking powder</li> </ul> <p>Icing:</p> <ul> <li>200g butter, softened</li> <li>2 cups icing sugar</li> <li>1 cup cocoa powder</li> <li>2 tablespoons milk, heated</li> <li>2 tablespoons hot espresso coffee</li> <li>1/2 cup sour cream</li> </ul> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Method:</span></strong></p> <p>Cake</p> <ol> <li>Heat oven to 180°C. Line two 20cm round cake tins with baking paper.</li> <li>Break chocolate into pieces and place in a small bowl. Pour over boiling water and coffee and stir until smooth. Add baking soda. Leave to cool.</li> <li>Beat butter and caster sugar until light and fluffy. Gradually beat in egg yolks.</li> <li>Mix in vanilla, orange zest and cooled chocolate.</li> <li>Sift flour and baking powder together and fold into chocolate mixture.</li> <li>Beat egg whites until stiff and gently fold into mixture. Pour into tins and bake 50 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean.</li> <li>Cool slightly before turning out onto racks to cool completely.</li> </ol> <p>Icing</p> <ol> <li>Whiz butter, icing sugar and cocoa in a food processor for a few seconds.</li> <li>Add hot milk and espresso and process until combined.</li> <li>Measure out 1/2 cup icing and combine with sour cream, mixing well.</li> </ol> <p>To assemble</p> <ol> <li>Cut each cake into two layers. Place a layer on a serving plate and spread with a third of the sour cream mixture. Top with another layer of cake and sour cream mixture and repeat until all layers are sandwiched together.</li> <li>Cover cake completely with icing. </li> </ol> <p>Chocolate Curls:</p> <p>Chocolate curls make a cake look truly professional and are quick and easy to make once you get the knack. Dark, milk or white chocolate can be used.</p> <ol> <li>Pour melted chocolate onto a marble slab (or other cool, smooth even surface).</li> <li>Using a metal spatula, spread the chocolate to 2-3mm thickness and leave until set but not completely hard. Using a clean scraper held at about a 45-degree angle, push under the chocolate in a continuous motion away from you to form curls. (If the chocolate isn't firm enough it won't curl; if it's too firm, it will break into shards.) Curls can be used immediately or placed in a plastic container with a lid and stored in the refrigerator until needed.</li> </ol> <p>Are you a fan of chocolate cake? What’s your favourite cake?</p> <p><em>Written by Bernadette Hogg. First appeared on <a href="http://www.stuff.co.nz/"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Stuff.co.nz</span></strong></a>. Image credit: Manja Wachsmuth / Stuff.co.nz.</em></p> <p><em><strong>Have you ordered your copy of the Over60 cookbook, The Way Mum Made It, yet? Featuring 175 delicious tried-and-true recipes from you, the Over60 community, and your favourites that have appeared on the Over60 website, <a href="https://shop.abc.net.au/products/way-mum-made-it-pbk"><span style="text-decoration: underline;">head to the abcshop.com.au to order your copy now</span></a>.</strong></em></p> <p><strong>Related links:</strong></p> <p><a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/lifestyle/food-wine/2016/11/caramel-and-chocolate-marble-loaf/"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><strong>Caramel and chocolate marble loaf</strong></em></span></a></p> <p><a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/lifestyle/food-wine/2016/12/warm-spanish-doughnuts/"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><strong>Warm Spanish doughnuts</strong></em></span></a></p> <p><a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/news/news/2016/11/adults-only-cheesecake-people-are-going-crazy-for/"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><strong>Adults-only cheesecake people are going crazy for</strong></em></span></a></p>

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Mocha chocolate brownies

<p>Jazz up your standard chocolate brownies with a subtle but delicious dash of espresso.</p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Makes:</strong></span> 8</p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Ingredients:</strong></span></p> <ul> <li>125g unsalted butter, cut into pieces, plus more for greasing</li> <li>½ cup plain flour</li> <li>¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder</li> <li>½ teaspoon baking powder</li> <li>½ teaspoon salt</li> <li>2 tablespoons instant espresso powder</li> <li>200g dark chocolate, chopped</li> <li>1 cup brown sugar</li> <li>⅓ cup olive oil</li> <li>3 eggs, lightly whisked</li> </ul> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Method:</strong></span></p> <p>1. Preheat oven to 180°C. Grease a three-cm-deep, 20cm-square baking pan. Line with baking paper, leaving a two-cm overhang on two sides.</p> <p>2. Place butter and chocolate in a heat-proof bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water. Stir occasionally for two to three minutes or until smooth. Remove bowl from pan and add sugar and oil. Stir to combine. Whisk in eggs and coffee.</p> <p>3. Combine flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt in a bowl. Sift flour mixture over chocolate mixture. Gently mix until moistened, being careful not to overmix. Pour batter into prepared pan and smooth top.</p> <p>4. Bake for 25 to 35 minutes or until top begins to crack. Remove from oven and cool for 30 minutes. Using paper overhangs, lift brownies from pan and transfer to rack to cool completely. Serve with vanilla ice-cream.</p> <p> </p>

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