Rich, velvety chocolate, whipped ganache, creamy frosting…chocolate cake is the ultimate in comfort foods. A generous slice of chocolate cake begs to be enjoyed with a glass of cold milk and a quiet spot where each bite can be savoured in slow and thoughtful contemplation.
While you can make chocolate cake with just about any kind of chocolate, using a rich and flavourful artisanal chocolate – aromatic, sharp, and decadent – opens the door to a new world of indulgence. At Hummingbird Chocolate Maker, founders Erica and Drew Gilmour produce extra rich, pure chocolate using ethically and sustainably sourced cacao beans from around the world.
The Gilmours would be the first to tell you that chocolate can taste very different depending on the country of origin for the cacao bean used to produce it. From the Dominican Republic to Columbia, Hummingbird’s chocolate leads you on an around the world chocolatey adventure.
Because every good chocolate deserves to be enjoyed as a slice of chocolate cake, Hummingbird has shared their recipe for this decadent and fudgy chocolate cake that is sinfully delicious (and gluten free!). Use Hummingbird’s baking chocolate, a solid brick of semi-sweet untempered chocolate made with love in small batches using single origin and sustainably sourced cacao, or substitute for any semi-sweet chocolate you have on hand.
Hummingbird’s chocolate can be ordered online and shipped straight to you. Be warned, chocolatey mouths are guaranteed from this yummy cake recipe.
Fudgy Chocoholic Cake
Ingredients
Cake:
300g (1-3/4 cups) Semi-sweet Chocolate
100g (7 Tbsp) Butter
1Tbsp Instant Coffee
1/4 tsp Salt
150g (1 cup + 2 Tbsp) Sugar
6 Eggs
1/2 cup Cocoa powder
Whipped Ganache Icing:
180g (1cup + 2 Tbsp) Semi-sweet Chocolate
200ml Whipping Cream
1/4 cup Soft Butter
Toppings:
1/4 cup Toasted and Peeled Hazelnuts
1/4 cup Toasted and Slivered Almonds
Fresh Berries of your choice
Method
Cake:
- Heat your oven to 350°F. Grease and line a 10″ round cake tin, set aside.
- Melt the chocolate, butter, coffee and salt in a bowl placed over a pot of water on medium low heat. Once melted fully allow to cool slightly.
- Once the chocolate is nearly melted, continue with the rest of the batter. In a large bowl whip (with handheld beaters or in a stand mixer) the eggs and the sugar until fluffy, pale and doubled in volume.
- While still whipping, slowly add the melted chocolate mix into the egg mix. Finish mixing it in by folding with a spatula.
- Sift the cocoa into the batter and fold in to combine fully.
- Pour the batter into your prepared cake tin. Bake in the center of the oven for 30-35 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the center comes out with only a few moist crumbs. Allow to cool slightly in the pan before turning out onto a wire rack. Cool fully before icing.
Whipped Ganache Icing:
- Chop up the chocolate into small pieces and place in a bowl.
- Heat the cream gently over medium low heat until just about to boil. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate, stir once then let it sit for 3-4 minutes. Stir until fully melted and combined.
- Allow the ganache to cool to nearly room temperature, then stir in the soft butter.
- Let the ganache continue to set at room temperature until it gets quite thick (think peanut butter thickness). Then whip using handheld beaters until pale and fluffy.
Frost your cake immediately, and top with nuts and berries. This cake is best enjoyed at room temperature, so remove from the fridge a good hour before serving it. Store covered in the fridge for up to 10 days.
About Erica and Drew Gilmour
Erica and Drew Gilmour are passionate about both chocolate and travel, and spent years traveling the world to explore the mysterious world of the cacoa bean. From the couple’s small Almonte-based workshop, they produce the Hispaniola bar which earned them the coveted Golden Bean Award in 2016, and the reputation for the best bean-to-bar chocolate in the world. An overnight sensation, the Gilmours have been working hard to meet a growing demand for their rapidly expanding customer base. At the end of the day it’s their love of chocolate and a passion for ethically sourcing this mysterious bean that’s led to their chocolate-covered success.
Bonus: For more chocolate inspiration follow Hummingbird’s chocolate maker herself on her blog Dorky Little Homestead.