Death by Chocolate!

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Valentine day is fast around the corner and the entire world seems to be enticed by it's mood. I see the world painted in red almost everywhere I go. Looks like the Valentine swings have set in weeks before the day arrives. Shops are filled with red hearts, pillows, greetings, balloons, tinsel items, etc. Even bakeries have not left a step behind. Heart shaped cakes and cookies adorn their display shelves. These were hardly seen few years ago when this Cupid day was hardly known.

I have never taken Valentine day seriously. Simple because you don't need a special day to love someone. But, it is still a good idea to celebrate a day that signifies love. Love can break all boundaries. It's a basic instinct of tender affection and compassion. Then, doesn't it deserve a day to be marked? An occasion to commemorate? A day of significance? It's nice to make someone feel special or be felt special by someone!

The other day a newspaper read that 'Young guys and gals heading to be hooked up before Valentines'. Not my take. I don't understand why! Anyways, why should I step a foot behind when the world is celebrating? I made this wonderful, rich, moist and vegetarian chocolate cake to surprise my sweetheart.

If all the restaurants are packed and you don't find a space for yourself or if a Ram Sena or Shiv Sena or any other Sena terrorizes you to go out with your loved one, don't stop yourself from making this cake and rejoicing it with your cupid love. Dim the lights, fragrant the romance with scented candles, pour the wines, mellow the music, bring the cake out and let the hearts speak!


I was clear that I wanted chocolate cake for the occasion. Also, as mentioned on my previous posts, I am experimenting on egg-less versions. After the recent success with cookies, I looked forward to some more recipes with potential variations. This one is with milk and milk powder and has been a success. This cake is simply good. So eat your heart out without any guilt.

Death by Chocolate

INGREDIENTS

1 1/4 cup plain flour (125 g)
1/2 cup milk powder (50 g)
1/2 cup milk (60 ml)
1 cup sugar (100 g)
A little more than 3/4th cup cocoa powder (80 g)
1/2 cup veg oil/ melted butter (50 g)
1 tsp vanilla essence
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp soda bi-carbonate
A pinch of salt
1/5th cup coffee liquor (20 ml)

DIRECTIONS

Pre-heat the oven. Warm the plain milk. Add the milk powder to it and stir well till it dissolves completely. Use soy milk powder to make it vegan. Add in the oil/butter, the liquor, (if using) and vanilla essence and whisk well.

In another bowl, mix the flour, the baking powder, soda and salt along with sugar and cocoa powder. Combine well. Add the wet mixture to the dry ingredients and fold them.

Grease and flour a baking tin and transfer the above cake batter to the baking tin. Bake for more or less 30-40 min on 180 deg C (depending on your oven). Test with toothpick for done.

Remove and allow to cool. Slice the cake across into half horizontally. Drizzle the coffee liquor on both the sides of cake slices allowing them to absorb well.


Prepare the frosting:

125 g dark chocolate, chopped
1/4 cup heavy cream (20 ml)

Heat heavy cream or whipping cream in a sauce pan. Remove from heat and add 100 g of finely chopped bittersweet dark chocolate. Stir well until smooth. Allow to cool a bit.

Spread about 1/3 of the frosting between the two layers. Lay the other slice of cake over this. Frost the top of the cake with and the sides with the remaining frosting. Chill the cake for an hour or more for the frosting to set well.

Garnish the cake with shavings of white chocolate. You may use dark chocolate for the same. I used white chocolate garnish for aesthetic purpose only. The white strikes the cord well against the deep dark background.

This cake is a little on the heavier side. It's a sure delight for a true chocolate lover. A small helping is sufficient to satisfy the craving needs. Warm the cake for a minute in microwave before serving. Pair it with vanilla ice-cream.

Slip into the eternal world of this decadent chocolate cake. These will surely leave you unresistingly indulgent with every bite you'll savor. Eat your heart out on a piece or two! Share it with your loved ones and get showered with loads of pampering this Valentine. Truly a delightful treat!

19 comments:

  1. Lovely cake MD..truly death by chocolate:).

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  2. Chocolicious!! Am drooling! Can this be made using normal milk and milk powder? Please let me know.

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  3. Yes Suma. This was very much made with the regular milk and milk powder. It was made on the concept of condensed milk.

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  4. Thanks a lot guys for your comments!

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  5. everyone dies sometime, and this'd be a find way to go. :)
    the rich dark chocolate, the bitter coffee liquor, the sweet white chocolate shavings--this is absolutely one of the most tempting treats i've ever seen!

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  6. Looks like a perfect Valentine's treat - rich and delicious!

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  7. Grace: U r so right while saying this "everyone dies sometime, and this'd be a fine way to go. :)" True!!

    Barbara: Valentine treat ought to be rich and delicious, yeah!!

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  8. Goodness, that looks amazing!

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  9. Hey Meeso, thanks for ur kind words :)

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  10. This recipe turned out fabulous! Loved it I am going to make over and over again..
    Good job mallika…love you blog recipes and clicks..:)

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  11. Thanks Shobha for the feedback. I am glad it turned out great. Nice of you to have shared this feedback!

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  12. i am trying this for New Year's in trinidad and tobago. What a great way to start 2011!!!!!!!!!!!

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  13. When do we add sugar to the cake?

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  14. Sugar is added along with the dry ingredients and then mixed with the wet ones.

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  15. Can we make this into vanilla sponge by removing cocoa and replacing with flour?

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  16. hai..
    can i assume that 1 cup=240ml? would love 2 try many of your cake recipes(especially the eggless ones).
    regards,
    valli.

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  17. Hi.. I think the amount of milk mentioned is incorrect. I added 60 ml of milk and found the cake mixture too dry. Added water to rectify it but ended up with rock solid cake :(

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    Replies
    1. I am surprised arpi, because this cake has worked well for me and for some of my friends too. Did you ensure that you added sufficient quantity of butter and coffee liquor?

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