Death By Chocolate Cake Recipe

Death by chocolate cake is a dream dessert for all chocolate lovers. This rich and fudgy chocolate cake is made with just a handful of ingredients that you already have on hand. It is easy to make at home and perfect for satisfying your chocolate cravings. Enjoy the cake as it is or serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Death by Chocolate Cake Recipe

I still remember the time when a digital channel approached me for an interview and came home to film my cooking. Since I have always loved baking chocolate desserts, I wanted to make something special for the team.

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I decided to prepare this death by chocolate cake and everyone was quite surprised by the name and eager to taste it. Thankfully, the cake was hit with the team. So I thought of sharing the recipe with you all. If you are looking for one chocolate cake to try, this is it.

About Death by Chocolate Cake

As the name suggests, this cake is all about chocolate. It has a chocolate cake batter loaded with chocolate chips and generous layer of rich chocolate ganache. I have made a simple single layer version here, but you can also bake it in layers and decorate it with chocolate ganache or chocolate buttercream of your choice. 

The best part about this recipe is how easy it is to make. The batter comes together in one bowl that is the beauty of it. You add all ingredients and mix until smooth, pour into baking pan and bake.

The hot water poured over the batter makes it super moist. The chocolate added into the batter also helps enhance the chocolate flavour.

If you love chocolate desserts as much as I do, do give this cake a try. You can also check out my other chocolate recipes like chocolate mousse cake, chocolate self saucing pudding and fudgy brownies. 

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Ingredients

• All purpose flour / Maida : I used all purpose flour for this cake. You can use wheat flour instead of plain flour.
• Sugar : I used a combination of brown sugar and regular sugar. Brown sugar helps with moist texture.
• Cocoa powder : Use good quality unsweetened cocoa powder for a rich chocolate flavour and taste.
• Leavening agent : Baking powder & baking soda are used to help the cake rise. They make the cake soft and give a light texture. 
• Egg : Eggs are used as a binding agent and makes the cake soft.
• Milk and yogurt : Use full fat milk for a moist and tender cake. Curd adds moisture, Use thick and fresh yogurt for this recipe. 
• Oil : You can use any neutral flavoured oils like sunflower oil, canola oil or any other oil of your choice. Instead of oil, use melted butter.
• Salt : A pinch of salt added to balance the sweetness.
• Vanilla extract : A dash of vanilla extract added to enhance the chocolate flavour and it adds a warm aroma throughout the cake.
• Hot water : Hot water makes the cake batter smooth and gives a rich, moist texture to the cake. You can use hot coffee instead of hot water.
• For ganache: To make the chocolate icing, dark chocolate & fresh cream are used. When combined, they make a rich, smooth and creamy icing. 

Step by Step Pictures

Dry Ingredients

1)Start by mixing the dry ingredients. Take a mixing bowl. Add in brown sugar.

2)Add in regular granulated sugar over the brown sugar.

3)Add in plain flour. If you want, you can use whole wheat flour.

4)Add in unsweetened cocoa powder.

5)Add in baking soda, baking powder and salt.

6)Mix all of the ingredients using a whisk until it is evenly combined.

Make Cake Batter

7)Now add in milk. You can use almond milk or regular milk of choice.

8)Add in yogurt, egg into the batter.

9)Add in oil. You can use melted butter instead of oil.

10)Add in vanilla extract.

11)Now use whisk to mix the wet ingredients into the dry. Make sure to mix gently until you get a smooth batter.

12)Now pour in hot water. Instead of hot water, you can add hot coffee also.

13)Mix the hot water into the batter. This is the consistency you are looking for. Now be generous with the chocolate. You can add milk or dark chocolate.

14)Mix the batter really well until it is combined.

Baking cake

16)Now pour this batter into the parchment lined baking pan. Spread evenly.

17)Place it into the oven and bake for 40 to 45 minute until a tooth pick inserted comes out clean. Remove from oven and allow it to cool a bit.

Chocolate Ganache

18)Meanwhile make the chocolate ganache. Take chocolate and cream in a bowl.

19)Pop it microwave for 20 to 30 seconds. Remove from microwave and mix until chocolate is melted. Mix the chocolate with cream until creamy.

Decoration

20)Now pour this chocolate ganache over the cake and spread evenly.

21)Allow the chocolate to set for few hours.

22)Decorate with sprinkles. Slice and serve.

Expert Tips

Room temperature ingredients – Make sure eggs, milk and curd are at room temperature before making the batter. This helps the ingredients combine evenly and gives a better cake texture. 

Don’t over mix – Once you add the dry ingredients, mix gently until everything is combined. Don’t overmix the batter. 

Hot water trick – Adding hot water helps bring out the chocolate flavour and make the cake moist. Instead of hot water you can use hot coffee.

Chocolate topping – For a rich icing, you can use couverture or compound chocolate. Chop the dark chocolate into small pieces so it melts easily when warmed with cream in the microwave. Don’t overheat the chocolate and cream mixture, as it can affect the texture of the icing.  Allow the icing to cool until it reaches a thick, spreadable consistency before spreading on top of the cake. 

Storage – Store the death by chocolate cake in an airtight container at room temperature for 1 to 2 days. Store in the refrigerator for up to 3 to 5 days.

Serving – Serve this cake as it is with a generous layer of chocolate icing. You can also pair it with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or chocolate ice cream.

FAQ 

Q. Why is it called death by chocolate cake ? 

It is called death by chocolate because the cake is loaded with rich chocolate flavour in every bite. It has chocolate sponge loaded with chocolate chips and a rich chocolate icing. 

Q. Why is my chocolate cake dry ? 

The cake may become dry if it is overbaked or adding too much flour can also affect its texture. So, measure the ingredients correctly and avoid baking the cake for longer. 

Q. Can I use this recipe to make cupcakes ? 

Yes, you can use the same batter to make chocolate cupcakes. Fill the cupcake liners about ⅔ full and adjust the baking time accordingly.

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If you have any questions not covered in this post and if you need help, leave me a comment or mail me @aarthi198689@gmail.com and I’ll help as soon as I can.

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