Food

Cake That! Signature Bake – Double Chocolate Cake with Fresh Cream & Salted Caramel

August 27, 2014 /
Currently in the US, I’ll just be checking in for my flight home *sob* so as you’ve probably guessed, this is a scheduled post I prepared before I left.
I was invited by Best British Bloggers to take part in Cake That! A bakery competition with Euphorium Bakery who will be launching their new website later this month. Not one to turn down any cookery challenges, I quickly accepted. Although, the thing that really got me was the judge was none other than The Great British Bake Off winner of 2012 (my favourite year so far), John Whaite!
We have three challenges, one each month until the end of The Great British Bake Off. Like in the show, the challenges are the Signature Bake, the Technical Challenge and finally the Showstopper. For me, this the closest I’ll ever get to the GBBO tent as I enjoy my own kitchen for baking it.. licking spoons.. blasting my Disney playlist.. I would melt under the ice gaze of Paul Hollywood! This will do me just fine and I’m excited to share my three recipes for each challenge with you all.
My Signature Bake is a cake I made for my Dad’s birthday way back in April but for some reason I didn’t share the recipe with you all. It’s a Double Chocolate Cake with Fresh Cream & Salted Caramel. It contains the main components that I usually use in my baking (at the moment anyway) which is why I’ve chosen it for my signature bake. And yes, I made my own salted caramel (although I will put my hands up and admit to not making the curls.. I couldn’t find any caramel chocolate that didn’t have the liquid centre!).. that was a stressful morning (and took three attempts!) it’s really rich and decadent, just the way my dad likes his cakes (I know, I know.. there could have been a joke there!)
Ingredients
For the Cake
330g Plain Flour
300g Unsalted Butter
300g Golden Caster Sugar
3 Eggs
100g Cocoa Powder
100g Chocolate Chips
150ml Buttermilk
1 tbsp Vanilla Essence
2 tsp Baking Powder
1 tsp Salt
For the Filling
200g Caster Sugar
2 tbsp Golden Syrup
60ml Water
120ml Double Cream
60g Unsalted Butter
1 tsp Sea Salt
125ml Double Cream
Caramel Curls
What You Need

  3 x 20cm Sandwich Tins, Grease Proof Paper, Mixing Bowl, Wooden Spoon, Hand Mixer, Sieve, Scales, Cooling Rack, Measuring Jug, Knife, Whisk, Teaspoon, Tablespoon, Two Pans

  1. Pre-heat the oven to 170c/gas mark 3 and line the three cake tins with grease proof paper.
  2. Cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
  3. In a measuring jug add the three eggs, butter milk and vanilla essence then slowly pour into the bowl while continuously stirring.
  4. Sieve the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt into the bowl then mix using a hand mixer on high speed until everything is combined.
  5. Stir in the chocolate chips so that they’re distributed evenly.
  6. Divide between the three tins and bake for approximately 25 minutes or until a skewer/knife comes out clean.
  7. While the cake is cooking, make the salted caramel. In a pan bring the golden syrup, sugar to the boil with 60ml water. Boil until the mixture becomes a syrupy rich caramel colour.
  8. In another pan melt the butter and then add the double cream and salt. Bring this to the boil then remove from the heat. The salt should have dissolved by this point.
  9. Remove the sugar syrup from the heat and carefully pour in the hot cream. It will bubble up but this is normal and it will start to start to turn into a creamy golden colour. Once it’s smooth pour into a bowl and leave to cool.
  10. Once the cakes are ready turn the sponges out onto a cooling rack and leave.
  11. While everything is cooling whip the cream using a hand mixer until it forms soft peaks.
  12. Finally once everything is cool, construct the cake. First smooth some salted caramel over the first sponge, it doesn’t matter if it runs over the edge as this adds to the look. Then some whipped cream before the next sponge.  Repeat this once.
  13. To top the cake drizzle the remaining salted caramel in a criss cross patten. Again it doesn’t matter if it runs down the sides. The sprinkle caramel curls all over. HOWEVER! When I make it again I will shave some salted chocolate on top instead.. I just couldn’t find it at the time!

And that’s my signature bake! As I write this I have absolutely nothing in my cupboards which sucks as I’ve really got a craving for salted caramel! Anyway, next month come back for my attempt at the technical challenge.

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7 Comments

Thank you so much for taking time to read my blog. I appreciate all comments & will check out any links to blogs. It's my readers that often make my day! - Amy x