Chocolate Chilli Cake with a Chocolate, Lime & Sea Salt Ganache (V)
Who doesn’t love a slice of chocolate heaven?
Now that Autumn has arrived and the evenings are getting cooler, we reach out for those warming spices and flavours to add to our food. Flavours and seasonal ingredients that can offer us a bowl of heartwarming comfort. Sometimes, we also like a bit of sweet indulgence too. So what’s better than turning to a slice of chocolate cake that combines sweetness with spice for a warming kick.
This dark chocolate and chilli cake really hits the spot. With a delectable light sponge, a hint of coffee and chilli, drizzled with a chocolatey rich ganache, lime zest and sea salt sprinkle, this cake not only offers comfort and warmth but a little decadence too. It’s a slice of heaven on a plate; a real treat with an afternoon cuppa or an after dinner treat with a glass of dark ale. It’s very simple to rustle up and the cake is freezable, without the ganache topping. You can whip it out of the freezer, and once warmed through you can add the ganache topping just in time for those unexpected guests. It’s a cake that doesn’t disappoint, one that you’ll make more than once, for sure!
For those dark chocolate haters out there, you can make it with milk chocolate or it can be totally vegan too.
Serve on its own or with a dollop of double cream and or seasonal berries, blackberries are divine with it!
Happy baking,
Enjoy N x
Chocolate Chilli Cake
Serves: 12 \ Prep: 15 mins \ Bake: 45/50 mins
175g unsalted butter, or vegan butter, cubed
3 Free Range eggs or vegan egg replacement
175g self raising flour
1 flat tsp baking powder
175g caster sugar or soft light brown sugar
75ml strong espresso coffee
50g dark chocolate powder, (I use Green & Blacks) for its bitter taste.
1/4 tsp dried red chilli flakes, extra for sprinkling
1 lime, zest only
Pinch of sea salt flakes
75g dark chocolate nibs
Lime, Chilli & Sea Salt Ganache1/2 lime, zest only
Pinch mild chilli powder
125g dark chocolate, or vegan chocolate finely chopped
100g double cream or vegan alternative
Pinch of sea salt, extra for decoration
Method
Preheat the oven to 180C Fan or Gas Mark 4.
Grease a 2lb or 900g loaf tin with a little butter and line with parchment paper. Just use a strip in the middle of the tin, leave an overhang as this can be used to lift the cake easily from the tin, once cooked.
Next, using a free standing mixer or an electric whisk, add the softened butter and the sugar to the bowl and mix until whipped, pale and creamy in colour.
Add the eggs one at a time, mixing in between on a the lowest setting, to combine. Do not over mix as it’ll curdle.
Then, add the flour, baking powder, chocolate powder, pinch of salt, 70ml of espresso, lime zest, plus half of the chilli flakes. Mix to combine all the ingredients on a slow setting.
Once combined, fold in the chocolate nibs.
Pour the contents into the lined loaf tin. Tap on a work surface to level the sponge mix.
Lower the oven to 160 C Fan/Gas Mark 3 and bake in the centre of the oven for 45-50 minutes.
Use a skewer to pierce the cake to check if cooked through. Don’t over cook as you want the cake to be moist and not too dry in the middle.
Leave the cake to cool on a cooling rack.
To make the ganache, break the chocolate up into a bowl. Heat the cream with 5ml of espresso and a pinch of chilli over a low a low heat.
Pour the warm cream over the chocolate, mixing continuously. Once the chocolate has melted into the cream, you should end up with a rich glossy ganache.
If it splits, add a drop of ice cold water and mix thoroughly and the cocoa solids will come together again. Leave to stand in a cool place.
Once the cake has cooled, drizzle or spread the ganache if it’s thickened, over the top of the cake and down the sides. Sprinkle over, the chill flakes and sea salt, and a little grated lime zest for a bit of extra crunch and zing.
Enjoy
N x
