Easy Chocolate Cake

Ingredients

1+¼ cup (140 g) all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder (dutched/dark)
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 pinches salt
1 cup (220 g) sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla essence
½ cup (1.2 dl) milk or water
½ cup (1.2 dl) vegetable oil (flavorless)
2 eggs

Ingredients for frosting

2/3 cup (1.6 dl) heavy cream or whipping cream
9 oz (260 g) semisweet chocolate (40-50% cocoa)

Method

1. Preheat oven to 350 deg F (Gas mark 4 or 180 deg C)
2. Grease a 9 inch (23 cm) cake tin.
3. Mix flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, salt, sugar and vanilla essence in a bowl.
4. Add milk/water, vegetable oil and eggs.
5. Mix everything together until smooth, either by hand or by using an electric mixer at slow speed. If the batter is too runny you may add slightly more flour.
6. Transfer to bake tin and bake at 350 degrees until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean, approximately 35 to 45 minutes.
7. After the cake has cooled, slice the cake through the middle to make two layers (easier if the cake has been in the fridge).

Frosting

1. Heat 2/3 cup (1.6 dl) of heavy cream or whipping cream in a sauce pan.
2. Remove from heat, add 9 oz (260 g) of finely chopped dark semisweet chocolate, stir until smooth, and let it cool until in thickens, if needed in the fridge.
3. Use one 1/3 of the frosting between the two layers, 1/3 on top, and the rest around the cake. Put the cake into the fridge for one hour or more to harden the frosting.
4. This cake should have room temperature when served.

Variations

1. You may substitute 1-2 tablespoons of cream with rum for the frosting.
2. You may cut the top of the cake to make a flat surface before adding the frosting.
3. If you are making it for someone's birthday I would suggest doubling the recipe because this recipe makes for a short, thin cake (suggested by Cyrus, August 2008)
4. If you prefer a slightly sweeter frosting you may add a couple of teaspoons of honey to the frosting (suggested by Debbie Evans, August 2008)
5. Instead of vanilla extract, you may use an equivalent amount of freeze dried coffee (Suggested by Carol, October 2008)
6. You may use ½ cup of freshly brewed coffee instead of milk or water to get mocca flavor (Suggested by Noreen, January 2009)