Naked Cholate Cake

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       NAKED CHOCOLATE CAKE





It's a 3 layer, super rich, super moist chocolate cake with a rich melt-in -your
mouth chocolate frosting and covered with chocolate ganache drip. These cakes can be made up to one day ahead.

I've been wanting to make a "naked cake' for a while now. I just think naked cakes has a unique look and very impressive.

There are 2 types of naked cakes. The cake in today's photos is called a semi naked. There's a minimal amount of frosting swiped around the sides. Where else a true naked cake means the side of the cake are bare. Both styles are simple and has a rustic look.

You can jazz the cake up with some fresh berries, cookies, candies, nuts or some colourful sprinkles . Let your creativity run free, which makes this recipe more fun.


Tips of making Naked Chocolate Cake


: All purpose flour - Do not use cake flour.
  When combined with light cocoa powder
  cake flour is too fine.

: Brown sugar - Brown sugar is naturally
  moist, so using it will result in softer and
  moister cakes.

: Hot coffee or hot water - hot coffee is an
  optinal but I recommend it. The Coffee  
  flavour elevated the chocolate flavour. 
  The cake will not taste coffee. If you don't
  drink coffee, you can use hot water.

: Cocoa powder - i usually mix the
  cocoa powder and hot coffee or boiling
  water together to let "bloom" before
  adding it to the better. Blooming helps 
  to bring out as much flavour as possible 
  from the cocoa.

: Chocolate bar - I'm using dark chocolate. 
  Feel free to use any chocolate you want
  whether bitter sweet or milk chocolate.

: Buttermilk - buttermilk helps fluff up
  cakes  and add texture.
 * To make your own buttermilk add 1tbsp
    of lemon juice or white vinegar to 1/2
    cup  whole milk. Let it set for 10 
    minutes before use.*

: Use a high - quality ingredients and it 
 comes through taste.

: To bake the cake I used 3 -  6 inch round
  baking pans to make the cakes layers but
  you can adapt the recipe to fit any of your
  cake pans. Don't forget to adjust the 
  amount of butter cream needed too and
  baking time. Or you can also make it as a
  sheet cake without adding the frosting.
  

  I also line the bottom of my pans with 
  parchmant paper. This helps the cake easily
  release from the pan.


Chocolate Butter Cream

: I have reduced the amount of each
  ingredients to produce less frosting as I
  prefer a thinner layer of frosting but if
  you prefer a thicker layer of frosting 
  you can double up the measurements.
  Freeze any left over frosting for next
  use.

Chocolate Ganache

: Finally the topping. I used whipping cream
  and dark chocolate . You can use milk
  chocolate or bitter sweet chocolate. If you
  like.

: To get a perfect drips make sure the 
  frosted cake is chilled in the fridge.

Let's get baking!


INGREDIENTS

CAKE

: 120g dark chocolate (finally chopped )
  
: 25g unsweetened cocoa powder

: 295g all purpose flour

: 2 tsp baking powder

: 1 tsp baking soda

: 225g salted butter ( room temperature)

: 3 eggs

: 2 tsp vanilla essence

: 1/2 cup buttermilk ( see buttermilk
  ( substitute)

: 1 tsp instant coffee

: 1/2 cup hot water

: 100g light brown sugar


CHOCOLATE BUTTER CREAM FROSTING


 - 130g salted butter ( room temperature)

- 1/2 cup icing sugar

- 70 g unsweetened Cocoa powder

- 1 tsp vannila essence

- 1/3 cup cream or milk ( I use milk)


CHOCOLATE GANACHE


- 2 ounce dark chocolate ( finally chopped)

- 6 tbsp whipping cream

- Oreo cookies for decoration


METHOD

- Pre heat oven to 17Oc .
  Grease 3 - 6 inch round cake pans.
  Line with a parchment paper.
  
- Dissolve 1 tsp instant coffee in hot water
  Add chopped chocolate and cocoa powder
  Mix until it becomes a thick smooth paste.
  Set aside.




- In a mixing bowl, sift flour, baking powder
  and baking soda. Set aside

- Using a hand mixer, beat butter and sugar
  until smooth and fluffy




- Beat in  eggs one at a time until combined.

- Stir in cocoa mixture

- Finally, add combined flour and butter 
  milk in two batches. Do not over mix
  the batter . The batter will be smooth
  and slightly thick.

- Evenly divide between the three     
  prepared pans. Bake according to the  
  size of pan. Mine baked for 20 minutes.
  or until toothpick inserted comes out clean.
  ( Depending on your oven temperature the
    cakes might take more or less time to 
    bake).

- Allow cakes to cool in the pan for about
  10 minutes. Then run a spatula around 
  the edge of the pan to help seperate the
  layers from the pan.

- The cakes must be completely cool
  before frosting and assembling. 


CHOCOLATE BUTTER CREAM

- Whisk butter until creamy.

-  Add sugar, cocoa powder, vannila
   essence and milk . Mix until butter cream
   looks smooth and fluffy.

- Add sugar or cocoa powder if frosting 
  is too thin or another tbsp of milk or
  cream if frosting is too thick. Only 1 tbsp
  at time until it reaches the right
  consistency.

: Taste. Add more sugar if needed.


CHOCOLATE GANACHE

- Heat cream on the stove top until just
  simmering. Once you see little simmer
  around the adges turn off the heat and
  immediately pour the warm cream over
  the chopped chocolate. Let to sit for few
  minutes before stiring until smooth.


TO ASSEMBLE THE CAKE

- Level off your cakes by removing any 
  domes using a large serrated knife.
  
- Reserve about half a cup of butter
  cream for the swirl.

- Place a dallop of butter cream frosting on 
  your cake. Spread evenly with a spatula
  Add second layer of cake and add frosting
  Place third layer of cake on top.




- Frost the entire cake with the 
  remaining buttercream. Scrapping the
  sides of the cake with a scrapper to create
  the naked look.
  


- Chill the cake at least for 30 minutes.

- Once the cake has chilled, make the 
  ganache.

- Once the ganache cooled and thicken 
  slightly. Remove the cake from the fridge.
  Use a teaspoon to drop dallops of ganache 
  along the edges and let it drop down the
  sides. Pour abit of ganache on top to fill
  in and smoothen it with a spatula.
 Chilled for an hour.


- Once the chocolate ganache drip has set.
  Fill a piping bag with a long open tip.
  Fill with the reservered butter cream,
  swirl around the edges of the cake and 
  decorate with oreo cookie.

- Always chill your cake in the refrigerator 
  few hours before slicing and serving. It
  help the frosting to set as well as ensure
  a better slice.




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@_casualcook_ for more recipes

 Don't forget to tag me on your wonderful
 creation.

  


 
 

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