Bitter Chocolate Chilli Cake

DessertServes 12

If a traditional Easter simnel cake isn’t quite your thing then why not try this quirky Bitter Chocolate Chilli Cake from the team at Thixendale based Charlie & Ivy. Using their rapeseed oil with chilli, this deliciously dense cake is the perfect pudding for the long Easter weekend adding a grown up kick to a classic recipe. For more information on Charlie & Ivy’s products and recipe inspiration visit www.charlieandivys.co.uk  

Ingredients

For the cake
200g self-raising flour
50g good quality cocoa powder
100g golden caster sugar
75g light brown soft sugar
125ml natural rapeseed oil
40ml rapeseed oil with chilli (you can add more if you would like it HOT!)
100ml milk
3 medium free range eggs

For the Chocolate Ganache
250g good quality dark chocolate (we used 85% cocoa solids)
175ml double cream
1-2 tbsp rapeseed oil with chilli, to taste
30g unsalted butter cubed
1 red chilli de-seeded and sliced – to decorate

Method

  1. Pre heat your oven to 180C (170 fan)
  2. Add all the cake ingredients into your mixing bowl and mix through until they form a smooth batter then spoon into a lined 22cm round cake tin.
  3. Place into the middle of the oven and bake for 45-50 minutes. To test that the cake is cooked, gently insert a skewer into the middle, and if cooked it will come out clean. Leave to rest for a few minutes then remove from the tin and allow to cool on a wire rack.
  4. To make the Ganache break the chocolate into a heat proof bowl, then add the cream to a saucepan and heat until it just starts to simmer. Remove from the hob and pour over your chocolate and stir through until the chocolate is melted. Add the butter and chilli oil and keep stirring until a smooth ganache is formed. Once thick and smooth you can spread onto your cake.
  5. Shave the top off my cake with a sharp knife so you with a flat surface to decorate then have a play and have fun! If you fancy, slice the cake through the middle and add the chocolate to the middle as you would a Victoria sponge and decorate with fresh red chopped chilli, some crushed nuts or chocolate shards. Enjoy!