Thursday 17 January 2013

Annabel Langbein's Ultimate Chocolate Cake

I believe that cakes are good for celebrations, but I have also discovered over recent months that baking is good for the soul. So when my soul and I didn't know what to do with ourselves this afternoon, we baked.




We lit a candle for Kent this morning, exactly one year after he died and the light went out of my life. I did a few things for him today, most of it involving crying, but purposely had very little planned and once again felt drawn to my kitchen. I think he'd really like that I baked a huge, outrageous cake (intermittently padding up the hallway to open the door to bunches of flowers, you lovely lot) and that I even put it on my new cake stand.

I baked Annabel Langbein's chocolate cake which has been put up for contention as the best chocolate cake recipe around. I have eaten it a couple of times in the past, not knowing it was hers, and have been wanting for a while to make it myself and cast my vote.

The results are... awkward. I baked the cake in two tins rather than one large one, so had to guess at the cooking time, and I believe I got it just right. My knife came out pretty clean, but not quite. Always keen to not overcook (a dry cake is a waste of everybody's time), I definitely didn't want to cook it any longer. But I don't think it would have wanted any less, given the remnants on the knife. Interestingly, I found the outside edge of the cake, perhaps until about 1/3 of the way in, disappointingly dry. But the further in I went, the better it got, and the middle third was gorgeous. Moist, fudgy, and all I could ever ask for. So is it better than Dana's Chocolate Cake? Well, the outside: no way. The inside: yes! Do we have a winner (so far) in the Chocolate Cake Best Recipe competition? Uummm... I don't know. If I could sort out that dry outer edge, I think this would be it. I highly recommend you give it a try.




Annabel recommends you cook this massive cake in a large 30cm tin, or two 20cm ones. I cooked mine in two 23cm ones, and it wasn't a problem. Her instructions say to just biff all the ingredients in to the mixer and turn it on. But she lists many dry ingredients first, and I just couldn't see how I could mix soft butter in to a bowlful of flour and sugar. While I would never question her brilliance on these matters, I started with the soft butter and eggs, as per usual, and so have listed the ingredients in my own order.

When cooling the cakes on racks after cooking, I recommend you put them up the right way, as one of mine collapsed a bit because it was upside down. (Ha! Or read Annabel's instructions properly and let them cool in the tin. I see now.) When it comes to all the additions, inside and out, I just suggest you do whatever you like. Jam, buttercream, chocolate ganache, whipped cream, icing sugar, fruit...

As always, I used glucose instead of sugar.

Annabel Langbein's Ultimate Chocolate Cake

200g butter, softened
2 cups sugar (or glucose)
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
3 large eggs
3 cups self raising flour (or standard flour + 3 teaspoons baking powder)
3/4 cup cocoa
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 cup milk or unsweetened yoghurt
1 cup boiling hot coffee

Put all ingredients in to a bowl or food processor, mixing as you go until combined.

Pour in to greased, paper lined tins, and bake at 160 degrees. 30 minutes for 23cm tins. 1 hour for a 30cm tin (or check earlier).


Today was more about the eating and the thinking than the photos. If I remember to photograph before eating tomorrow, I''ll put some more up.

13 comments:

  1. Well done, times a million.

    Gorgeous cake, beautiful photographs, and you have done good things on this hard day.

    God bless the Hs.

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  2. Have been thinking of you. I'm hugely impressed. And now I'm torn. I had planned to try your chocolate banana cake today, but now I really want to give this a go too. Not sure I can justify making both in one day...

    For what it's worth, the best, most gooey chocolate cake I've ever tasted was this one (also calling itself "ultimate"), which my sister-in-law made for my nephew's birthday (without the ganache - she cut and decorated it to look like Thomas, but that's a whole other story). I wonder whether the presence of melted chocolate in the ingredients list may help with the moistness? But it does have obscene amounts of sugar in - two different sorts!
    http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/3092/ultimate-chocolate-cake

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    1. That looks SO good, I have bookmarked it and will have to try.

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  3. Have you made Annabel's Chocolate Brownie recipe? It has melted chocolate and butter, gooey and moist! I make it in my sleep these days. Often as a birthday treat for friends as I'm not too bothered about cake decorating. Sometimes I "ice" with melted chocolate as instructed other times I just go for a dusting of icing sugar. Generally I trim the outside edges and only serve moist, chocolaty pieces, trying to remember not to cut them too big as not everyone can cope with the pure, rich deliciousness of this wonderful recipe.

    Not a wild hera's friend Anna, a wise woman, she is so right about the gorgeous cake, photos, allowing yourself time and space on this day to remember your best friend. God bless

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    1. Thank you. I haven't tried it. I'm just getting to know Annabel actually, but will definitely try them one day. I think I have an excellent brownie recipe from Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, but would like to try some others to see which really is the best! I see a new theme developing here...

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  4. Mmmm I'll have to try it once I get to the next phase of my diet and I can have one celebration meal a week (ie I can have whatever I like in moderate amounts).

    Well done for surviving the day yesterday, and good on you for crying! Tears are good for the soul. You're a star; keep up the great work!

    Hugs

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    1. Thanks Ann. In that case my soul must be really good!! Do try it with glucose, that will make all the difference.
      How is your diet going? Would you be keen to have a read of Sweet Poison by David Gillespie? I'm going to summarise it soon on one of my next posts.

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  5. I cook my cake in a 30 cm tin and I think this may make the difference as it has never been dry. Also cooling in the tin means the outside of the cake absorbs the steam into it as it cools rather than the moisture evaporating. I often cook this cake at night, whip it out of the oven and go to bed so it stays in the tin all night. Also you absolutely can just throw everything in the food processor and whizz it does work! I usually split my cake in half put jam or berries in the middle and I often Ice with Sophie Grays Danas chocolate cake icing. The uniced cake freezes really well and is even moister when thawed.

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    1. Yes, thanks for all this. A friend suggested the same thing about leaving it in the tin, it makes a lot of sense so it looks like I will have to try again! I'm not sure a bigger tin would make the difference - I would imagine if it was related to tin size smaller would be better. So I'll try again and do a better job of following instructions, including trying the unusual ingredient order...

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  6. I tried this as cupcakes last week, with glucose instead of sugar in the cake, and 1/3 glucose to 2/3 icing sugar for the icing (was meant to be half and half but as usual my icing got out of control!). They were DIVINE. I took some to Playcentre for people to try and everyone thought they were fab. I'm so pleased to say that not a single person missed the sugar and I also made it with Orgran no-egg so it's something I can take to Playcentre. I think next time I will try using more glucose and less icing sugar in the icing as I felt it was still more sweet than it needed to be (although some people didn't agree!) I will without a doubt be doing this again!
    Just a little aside, I believe that you can't beat an Annabel recipe. I've not had a failure yet. It's our go-to book in this house, to the point where Miss 3 will often ask when we're contemplating starting dinner "what does Annabel say mummy?".

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    1. Ha ha gorgeous! That's such great news, I'm so pleased. I haven't tried this as cupcakes but am very keen now. Thanks for experimenting! I do 100% glucose with my icing and think it is fine - quite sweet even!
      I'm thinking you get the good part of the cake without the dry edge problem, so they should be amazing.

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  7. I made this! Well Max and I made it... for Paul's birthday. It was a huge success. I made it in 2 tins with the idea of putting a filling inside (maybe jam) and icing on top. ended up just sprinkling coconut on the top and we ate plain or with yougurt. Both boys thought it was terrific and I freezed the bottem layer. thank you for the recipe... it felt nice to connect with you via baking :)

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