Mary Berry Moist Chocolate Cake Recipes

MARY BERRY'S FAIRY CAKES: CHOCOLATE CUPCAKE RECIPE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Cream together eggs, sugar, and butter.
• Add flour, cocoa, baking powder, and salt. Beat until well combined, about 3 minutes.
• Line mini cupcake pan with 24 paper liners. Fill each liner halfway with batter.
• Bake 8-10 minutes until tops are slightly cracked and spring back to touch.
• Cool completely before icing.
• Beat butter until creamy.
• Add powdered sugar, cocoa powder, vanilla, and milk. Mix on low until well combined. About 3 minutes.
• Spoon into icing bag and frost cupcakes.

MARY BERRY'S VERY BEST CHOCOLATE CAKE RECIPE

Steps:

• Pre-heat the oven to 180°C/gas mark 4. Grease two eight inch sandwich tins and line bases.
• Measure the cocoa into a bowl, add the boiling water and mix until smooth. Add the remaining ingredients and mix until combined -- this can be done in a mixer or by hand.
• Divide the cake mixture between the prepared tins.
• Bake in the pre-heated oven for about twenty-five to thirty minutes until well risen and shrinking away from the sides of the tin.
• For the icing, measure the chocolate and cream together in a bowl. Stand the bowl in a pan of simmering water and stir until just melted. Remove from the heat and allow to become cold and nearly set.
• Spread the tops of each cake with apricot jam.
• Fill the cakes with half of the icing, and spread the remainder on the top.
• Take a small palette knife and from the centre of the cake, draw large "S" shapes to give a swirl effect.

MARY'S CHOCOLATE CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 180C/160C Fan/Gas 4. Lightly butter two loose-bottomed 20cm/8in sandwich tins and line the bases with baking paper.
• Put the butter, sugar, eggs, flour, baking powder and cocoa in a large bowl and beat for 2 minutes, or until just blended. (An electric mixer is best for this, but you can also beat by hand using a wooden spoon.)
• Divide the mixture evenly between the tins. Level the surface using a spatula or the back of a spoon.
• Bake for 25-30 minutes. The tops of the cakes should spring back when pressed lightly with a finger. Leave the cakes to cool in the tins for 5 minutes. Run a small palette knife around the edge of the tins, then carefully turn the cakes out onto a wire rack. Peel off the paper and leave to cool completely.
• Choose the cake with the best top, then put the other cake top-down onto a serving plate. Spread with the jam and whipped cream, put the other cake on top (top upwards) and sprinkle with caster sugar to serve.

CHOCOLATE SPONGE CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4 and grease and line two 20cm/8in sandwich tins with baking parchment.
• Put the cocoa powder and boiling water into a large bowl and mix well to make a paste. Add the remaining ingredients and beat again until combined. This can also be done in a food processor, but take care not to over whisk. Divide the cake mixture between the prepared tins. Bake for about 25-30 minutes, or until well risen and shrinking away from the sides of the tin.
• Meanwhile, for the icing and filling, measure the chocolate and cream together in a bowl and stand the bowl over a pan of simmering water for about 10 minutes, or until melted. Stir from time to time. Set aside and leave until cool.
• Once baked, remove the cakes from the oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes before turning out the tins onto a wire rack to cool completely.
• Spread the tops of each cake with apricot jam. Fill the cakes with half of the icing and spread the remainder on top. Draw large "S" shapes over the cake with a palatte knife to give a swirl effect. Dust with icing sugar and serve in slices.

MARY BERRY'S CHOCOLATE CAKE RECIPE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 180C, gas 4. Beat together the eggs, flour, caster sugar, butter, and baking powder until smooth in a large mixing bowl.
• Put the cocoa powder in a separate mixing bowl, and add the water a little at a time to make a stiff paste. Add to the cake mixture.
• Turn into the prepared tins, level the top, and bake in the preheated oven for about 20-25 mins, or until shrinking away from the sides of the tin and springy to the touch.
• Leave to cool in the tin, then turn on to a wire rack to become completely cold before icing.
• To make the icing: measure the cream and chocolate into a bowl and carefully melt over a pan of hot water over a low heat, or gently in the microwave for 1 min (600w microwave). Stir until melted, then set aside to cool a little and to thicken up.
• To ice the cake: spread the apricot jam on the top of each cake. Spread half of the ganache icing on the top of the jam on one of the cakes, then lay the other cake on top, sandwiching them together.
• Use the remaining ganache icing to ice the top of the cake in a swirl pattern. Dust with icing sugar to serve.

CELEBRATION CHOCOLATE MOUSSE CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 180C/160C Fan/Gas 4. Grease the tin with margarine and line the base and sides with baking paper. You need to line the tin right to the top even though the sponge will not fill it.
• For the chocolate cake, measure the cocoa powder into a large bowl. Pour over the boiling water and mix to a paste with a spatula. Add the rest of the dry ingredients and the eggs and margarine and beat until smooth using a hand-held mixer.
• Spoon the cake mixture into the prepared cake tin and level the surface with a palette knife. Bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean and the cake feels springy to the touch.
• While the cake is still hot, brush the brandy over the top of the cake. Leave the cake to cool in the tin.
• Meanwhile, for the mousse, place the chocolate in a bowl and melt over a pan of gently simmering water (do not allow the base of the bowl to touch the water). Stir continuously, taking care not to let the chocolate get too hot. Set aside to cool a little.
• Whip the cream until soft peaks form when the whisk is removed. Carefully fold in the melted chocolate until smooth and not streaky.
• When the cake has cooled, and while it is still in the tin, spoon the chocolate mousse on top and level with a palette knife. Cover the cake tin with cling film and chill in the fridge for a minimum of 4 hours, and preferably overnight, until the mousse is firm.
• To serve, carefully remove the cake from the tin and transfer it to a flat plate. Dust the top with cocoa powder, then pile the raspberries and blueberries into the centre. Finish with a light dusting of icing sugar. Cut into wedges and serve with pouring cream.

RECIPES

Steps:

• Step 1:Line a muffin tin with paper cases. Sift the cocoa powder into a bowl, pour in the boiling water and mix into a thick paste. Add the remaining cake ingredients and mix with an electric hand whisk (or beat with a wooden spoon).Step 2:Divide the mixture equally between the 12 paper cases. Bake in a preheated oven at 200°C (400°F, Gas mark 6) for about 12-15 minutes until well risen and springy to the touch. Cool in the cases on a wire rack.How to produce even cupcakesStep 3:To make the chocolate icing melt the butter and pour it into a bowl. Sift in the cocoa powder and stir in the icing sugar a little at a time to make a glossy and spreadable. If the icing is too thick, gradually add the milk until it reaches the desired consistency. Pipe over the cupcakes, sprinkle with chocolate decorations and leave to set before serving.

CHOCOLATE AND VANILLA MARBLE LOAF

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 160°C/Fan 140°C/gas 3. Lightly grease a 900g loaf tin and line with a wide strip of non-stick baking parchment to go up the wide sides and over the base of the tin. Measure the butter, sugar, flour, baking powder, eggs, milk and vanilla extract into a large bowl and beat with a hand-held electric mixer for about 2 minutes, until well blended. Spoon half the mixture into another bowl and set aside. In a small bowl, mix the cocoa powder and hot water together until smooth. Allow to cool slightly, then add to one of the bowls of cake mixture, mixing well until evenly blended. Spoon the vanilla and chocolate cake mixtures randomly into the prepared tin until all of the mixture is used up, and gently level the surface. Bake for 50 minutes-1 hour, until the cake is well risen, springy to the touch and beginning to shrink away from the sides of the tin. Allow to cool in the tin for a few minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack, peel off the lining paper and leave to cool completely. To make the icing, melt the butter in a small pan, add the cocoa powder, stir to blend and cook gently for 1 minute. Stir in the milk and icing sugar, then remove from the heat and mix thoroughly. If necessary, leave the icing on one side, stirring occasionally, to thicken. Spread the cold cake evenly with the icing, then drizzle the melted white chocolate over the top. Leave to set.

VERY BEST CHOCOLATE FUDGE CAKE

Steps:

• Pre-heat the oven to 180°C/Fan 160°C/Gas 4. Grease two 20cm (8in) deep sandwich tins then line the base of each tin with baking parchment. Blend the cocoa and boiling water in a large bowl then add the remaining cake ingredients and beat until the mixture has become a smooth, thickish batter. Divide the cake mix equally between the prepared tins and level the surface. Bake in the pre-heated oven for about 25-30 minutes or until well risen and the tops of the cakes spring back when lightly pressed with a finger. Leave to cool in the tins for a few minutes then turn out, peel off the parchment and finish cooling on a wire rack. To make the icing, warm the apricot jam in a very small pan, then spread a little over the base of one cake and the top of the other. Break the chocolate into pieces and gently heat with the cream in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water for about 10 minutes or just until the chocolate has melted, stirring occasionally. Remove the bowl from the heat and stir the chocolate mixture to make sure it has completely melted. Leave to cool until it is on the point of setting then spread on top of the apricot on both cakes. Sandwich the cakes together and use a small palette knife to smooth the icing on the top. Keep in a cool place until ready to serve. Tip: The cake can be frozen (iced or un-iced) for up to 1 month. Store in a round freezer-proof container about 2.5cm (1in) bigger than the diameter of the cake. Sit the cake on the inside of the lid and place the container over the top. Seal, label and freeze. If the cake is frozen iced, the icing will not be quite as shiny once thawed. To defrost, release the lid but leave in position and thaw for 4 hours at room temperature.

MARY BERRY'S MADEIRA CAKE

Steps:

• Add the butter and sugar to a large bowl and use an electric mixer to beat everything well until creamy.
• Add the eggs one by one, beating well after each addition.
• In go the flour and ground almonds together with the lemon zest.
• Mix everything well to get a smooth thick batter.
• Grease and flour a 23 cm/9 inch round cake tin, and spread the batter evenly.
• Bake in the preheated oven at 180 degrees Celsius (350 Fahrenheit) for 30 minutes or until golden and a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean.
• Leave to cool for 15 minutes, then carefully remove from the cake tin, and transfer to a cooling rack to be cooled down completely.