Swimming in Chocolate….
Chocolate triggers the brain to release endorphins – hormones that cause your pulse to speed up and give you a pleasant high feeling, rather like being in love. The theobromine and phenylethylamine in cocoa are also thought to affect levels of serotonin – which can boost your mood and ease depression – the Doctor said this, pinky swear.
This one right here, happiness on a plate – but don’t eat it all at once, and sharing is caring. send someone some… Also freezes very well, wrap in baking/wax paper, then cling film tightly so it doesnt absorb smells from your freezer). Dont forget to tag us in your creations… #mangoanwheatathome
Chocolate Cake
2 ¾ cups cake flour
1 ¾ cups brown sugar (makes the cake moister)
1 cup + 3 tbsp quality cocoa powder (you can also use drinking chocolate powder if unsweetened or your cake may be too sweet)
1 tbsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
3 ½ cups fresh milk
1 ¼ cups vegetable oil (choose one with a light scent)
3 tsp pure vanilla or butterscotch flavour
½ tsp ginger powder (optional)
4 large eggs
1 ¾ cup HOT water mixed with 1 tsp instant coffee
METHOD
heat oven to 180 degrees celsius, prep your cake pan, grease and line with baking/wax paper (an 8″ tin or cupcake cases)
mix in 1 bowl: flour, salt, cocoa powder, sugar, baking soda, ginger powder
mix in a second bowl: eggs, oil, milk, vanilla
add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir with a spoon – do not over mix as this will result in a tougher chewy cake
add the HOT coffee to the cake mixture, stir carefully
pour into prepared tin or cupcake cases, bake for 25 minutes to 35 minutes (stick a khebab stick in the middle – if it comes out clean it is done)
set aside to cool
GLAZE
2 small cans condensed milk (really small ones – 10 grams)
1 bar (100 grams) of any good quality milk or dark chocolate
1 negro pepper / hwentia (optional – adds a slight kick)
METHOD
put the condensed milk, hwentia/negro pepper and chocolate in a pan on the stove, on low heat, you just want to melt the chocolate and warm up the condensed milk, do not let it boil – remove the negro pepper and discard
remove from stove, cool to room temperature
pour over your cooled cake (use a khebab stick to poke holes into your cake to make it absorb more glaze)
decorate with more chocolate (just use your grater to grate some chocolate on top – white or dark or milk chocolate)
*put your twist on this, add chocolate chips OR drop teaspoons of nutella in the cake mix before baking or some chopped pecans or walnuts