This chocolate cake has all the wonderful depth of a classic, but with a spiced twist thanks to the addition of cardamom, nutmeg and turmeric. If you prefer a sweeter chocolate cake you can use milk chocolate instead of the 70% dark. Conversely if you like your chocolate super dark feel free to use a higher percentage chocolate, but I find it gets a bit too bitter after 70%.
Ingredients:
CAKE
200 g 70% chocolate, roughly chopped
220 g unsalted butter, cubed
1/2 tsp ground green cardamom
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground turmeric
1/2 tsp salt
180 g plain flour
2 tsp baking powder
350 g rapadura sugar
50 g Dutch process cocoa
3 eggs
70 g natural yoghurt
GANACHE
260ml pouring (pure) cream
220 g 70% dark chocolate
Directions:
1. Pre-heat oven to 160C and grease and line a 20cm round cake tin. The tin must be at least 6 cm deep.
2. Place a bowl over a saucepan of simmering water and melt together the chocolate, butter, cardamom, nutmeg, turmeric, salt and 120 ml water.
3. In a sperate mixing bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder, sugar and cocoa.
4. In a small bowl whisk the eggs and the yoghurt together and then add this to the flour mixture. Then add the melted chocolate mixture and stir everything to form a smooth batter.
5. Pour into the prepared tin and bake for 75 – 90 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.
6. While the cake is baking make the ganache. To do this, chop the chocolate up finely and place in a bowl. Next pour the cream into a small saucepan and bring to just below boiling point. Pour the hot cream over the chopped chocolate and let it sit for 5 minutes to allow the hot cream to melt the chocolate. Stir to create a smooth mixture and then set aside until needed.
7. Once the cake has cooked, let it cool for 10 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack and leaving to cool completely.
8. Finally, cut the cake in half and spread some of the ganache on the cake before sandwiching the cakes back together. Dollop the rest of the ganache on the top of the cake and then let it run down the sides, spreading it around with a spatula as you see fit.
