Well besides brownies , chocolate cakes are one of our all-time favorites. Come on, chocolate plus cake? Who wouldn’t fall in love with this perfect combination?

They’re so irresistible. We handmake several chocolate cakes here at Dello Mano like our best selling Divine Belgian Chocolate Mousse Cake.  Dark Belgian chocolate  – the taste of perfection!

Baking Chocolate Cake at Home

Like these delicious chocolate cakes from Dello Mano, you can also make your own handmade cake at home. Remember though, it’s one thing to have a great chocolate cake recipe but there’s more to creating a wonderful chocolate creation than just the recipe.  So, here are 6 great tips to help you create the perfect chocolate cake.

Ready? Let’s get started.

1. Weigh! Don’t measure.

Don’t have a kitchen scale? It’s time to buy one. Weighing ingredients, from the dry ingredients like flour, cocoa powder and sugar, down to the wet ones like milk and melted chocolate will provide a more accurate and consistent result than simply using measuring cups and spoons ( sorry – mum!)

2. Use the right flour.

While all-purpose flour may work for many situations, it isn’t right for every cake. Always remember that the lower the protein content of the flour, the more tender the cake. The key is to match the type of flour to use with the cake you are baking. Cake flour is best for making cakes with a fine, tender crumbs, like pound cake and sponge cake. It is always best to sift flour before adding it to the batter to prevent clumps.

3. Chemistry counts.

Take it from the Food Scientist, yes, baking really is chemistry. The correct chemistry in relation to the key ingredients serves as the foundation for a perfectly baked chocolate cake. It is important therefore, that you understand what each ingredient does to the cake. For instance, flour thickens the batter and releases gluten which gives the cake its structure. If you over-mix the batter, your cake becomes tough. Meanwhile, fats like butter, shortening or oil, impedes gluten formation while also providing moisture for the cake.  Aside from sweetening your cake, sugar also helps break up gluten to keep the cake tender, enrich its flavour, and help the cake brown. Egg yolks acts as an emulsifier which allows fats and water to mix well, producing an even texture. So real chemistry!

4. Keep everything at room temperature.

You probably are used to bringing butter to room temperature before you start creaming it, but it’s just as important for the eggs. If the eggs are cold, they won’t emulsify properly, which has a great effect on the texture of your cake. If you’re short on time, place the eggs in a bowl of warm water for 10-15 minutes, or crack them into a bowl and leave sitting on the counter.

5.  Never compromise quality.

The quality of ingredients you use is very important if you want your cake to have the perfect taste, moisture content, and texture. They may be a little pricey but the investment is worth the price. At Dello Mano, we use superior quality ingredients to ensure the richness and luxurious flavour of our cakes and brownies. In particular, we use real butter, eggs directly sourced from the farm, and high quality Belgian chocolate.

6. Frost like a pro.

It really helps to have the right tools on hand so you can frost the cake with ease. Remember however, that frosting does take a little more time. Put a small dollop of icing in the centre of your platter. This will serve as a glue so your cake doesn’t move as you frost it. Use an offset spatula to frost the top of each layer, and coat the entire cake. Be generous with the frosting! Everybody loves frosting. Icing a cake is an artful process. So just enjoy the moment. Let yourself achieve a state of flow. You will love this part!

Making the perfect chocolate cake with a dense flavour and rich texture is fun and easy with these tips. Hope you enjoyed them. Happy baking!