Ingredients
1+½ cup (340 g) butter, softened
1+2/3 cup (365 g) sugar
6 eggs
2+2/3 cup (300 g) all-purpose flour
About 3/4 cup (120 g) finely ground almonds
6 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ cup boiling water
Ingredients for frosting
6 tablespoons (80 g) butter
7 oz (200 g) semisweet chocolate (40-60% cocoa)
2 eggs (salmonella-free)
7 oz (200 g) icing sugar (confectioner's sugar)
Method
- Preheat oven to 350 deg F (Gas mark 4 or 180 deg C).
- Line two 9 inch (23 cm) cake tins with greaseproof or other non-stick paper and grease the tins.
- Beat the softened butter with sugar.
- Add one egg at a time, mix well between each egg.
- Mix with flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, vanilla extract, and finely ground almonds.
- Add ½ cup of boiling water and mix well.
- Transfer to two separate cake tins and bake at 350 degrees just until set in the middle, approximately 30-45 minutes. A wooden pick inserted in center should come out with just a few moist crumbs on it. Do not over-bake!
- Cool the cakes and cut each in half, horizontally. They are easier to cut if they are kept in a refrigerator for a few hours before cutting.
Frosting
- Melt butter and chopped chocolate in a double boiler.
- Beat the eggs with icing sugar and mix with the chocolate and butter mixture.
- Use two thirds of the frosting to sandwich the four layers together and coat the cake with the remainder of the frosting.
- Cool the cake in the fridge to harden the frosting. Place the cake at room temperature 1-2 hours before it is served.
Variations
- You may substitute the boiling water with hot coffee or tea.
- If you want a smaller cake use half the amount of each ingredient and one cake tin. Make then only two layers.
- For the frosting you must use an egg without salmonella risk. If this is not available, please use a different chocolate frosting.
This cake is approximately 3 inches (7.5 cm) tall. We have also a recipe for a
chocolate layer cake with cocoa instead of chocolate. That cake is not as tall as this one.
My favourite photo of the lot, really captures the "taste" of the cupcakes...
How
I came about to do this wedding was unique. The bride actually lives in
the UK, but she found me online! We communicated back and forth for a
couple of weeks and wala! Her wedding cupcakes were born! She wanted
something simple but elegant, and she was always keen on hearts from the
beginning so she requested the chocolate (white and dark versions) to
top the swirled frosting. Simple butter cucpakes, with alternate vanilla
and chocolate frostings. I was tempted to bite in but I had to hold
back! She also requested for clear boxes and loved the idea of a ribbon,
as she wanted something like a gift box concept. Then we piled them up
like a pyramid, it took 45 minutes of set up but was worth every second!
I have to say a big thank you to Yola Chocolates in KL, Malaysia for
supplying the chocolate hearts!
