348 – Chocolate Cake with Cocoa Syrup Recipe / كعكة الشوكولاته مع شراب الكاكاو

Ingredients :

• 1 1/2 cups (200 grams) all-purpose white flour
• 1/2 cup (50 grams) unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• Pinch of salt
• 3/4 cup (175 grams) butter (softened)
• 1 1/2 cups (200 grams) powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 large eggs
• 1/4 cup and 2 tablespoons (80 grams) heavy cream
• 6 oz (175 grams) dark chocolate at 70%
• 1/2 cup (125 ml) boiling water
  Syrup ingredients:
• 1/2 cup (125 ml) water
• 1/2 cup (100 grams) white granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder

Directions :

Step 1: Mixing the Dry Ingredients
1- First, let’s mix the dry ingredients. In a large bowl, sift the flour and the cocoa powder. Mix with a whisk, then add the baking powder and a pinch of salt. Done!

Step 2: Mixing the Wet Ingredients
1- Now, let’s mix the wet ingredients.
Here we have the butter, but it’s at room temperature – it has to be soft. Beat the butter for 1 minute with an electrical beater to make it creamy.
2- Add the powdered sugar, into 3 times, and beat in between until well integrated before adding more sugar.
3- Add the vanilla.. .here I am using a super flavorful vanilla paste. You can use vanilla extract, ground ginger, cinnamon, or whatever spice you like!
4- In a small bowl, lightly beat the eggs. Then add them to the butter mixture and beat in for 30 seconds.
5- Finally add the heavy cream and quickly beat it with the butter – then switch to a spatula to mix in the melted chocolate. Delicious! You will get a super smooth, velvety, butter chocolate mixture.

Step 3: Making the Batter and Baking the Cake
1- Preheat your oven to 360F / 180C
2- Let’s join forces and get the dry ingredients with the wet ingredients.
3- Add the dry mixture to the butter mixture little by little, while mixing with the spatula until well integrated.
4- Add the boiling water little by little to the chocolate batter and continue mixing. You will notice that the batter will become smoother and creamier!!!
5- Place the batter in a baking pan covered with parchment paper. Use the spatula to smooth the surface… and to the oven that you have preheated to 360 F / 180 C.
6- Bake the cake for around 50 minutes.

Step 4: Final Steps
1- 10 minutes before the cake is ready, make the syrup! All you have to do is place water, sugar, and cocoa powder in a saucepan and heat up on medium heat until the syrup reaches a boiling point.
2- Our cake is ready – when you touch the surface in the middle of the cake, it should feel firm and springy to the touch – but not hard.
3- Pour the syrup on the cake. You can make hole with a toothpick so that the syrup gets all in side the cake! And that’s it!!!
4- The hardest part is to wait for the cake to absorb all the syrup – ideally, you should leave it overnight.

Bon Appetit!