Double Chocolate Loaf Cake with Whipped Caramelised White Ganache

THIS POST IS SPONSORED BY DOVES FARM

Easter and Chocolate, it is a match made in heaven, or maybe just an excuse to enjoy more chocolate. Either way I couldn’t let the holiday pass without a very special chocolate recipe for you all. I wasn’t in the mood for anything too complicated but I did want a big hit of flavour, high impact, low effort. This bakery style loaf is dense but tender and has a rich chocolate flavour backed up with some Doves Farm Organic White Rye Flour. Wholemeal rye flour, which you may have seen me use many times before, especially paired with chocolate, has a strong tangy rye flavour and the added texture that comes with wholemeal flours. For this cake I wanted something that backed up the chocolate flavour but didn’t add as much of its own flavour, more of a team player than the star of the show if you will. For the frosting I went with a very simple whipped caramelised white chocolate ganache, topped with chopped mini eggs (it’s easter, they’re mandatory). If you’ve never made this type of chocolate before you can learn how to make it here, or you could just buy it.

Doves Farm Organic White Rye has a creamy off-white colour and a mild tangy flavour that is amazing in this cake. I call it a bakery style loaf, partly because it’s a large loaf but also because it’s a dense but tender loaf, it’s like if a British tea shop cake met an American pound cake and had loaf shaped baby. The rye flour adds a subtle tang which helps intensify the chocolate flavour and also helps gives this cake its characteristic texture. When you bake with rye, especially if you are substituting it for regular wheat flour, you’ll notice it absorbs more liquid than wheat flour. In this cake for example I have made versions with regular plain flour and a rye version and the latter was a noticeably thicker batter when made to the exact same recipe. To compensate for this, I have included a little more moisture than if making it with plain flour. As a general piece of advice, when it comes to alternative/ancient grains such as rye, when adding them into your baking it’s a good idea to start with a smaller amount and see how it affects your recipe. Generally if I am adding some to an existing recipe I would sub in 25% of the grain and this normally adds a new depth of flavour without changing the texture of the finished bake in any dramatic way. After that point you can add more of the grain should you think you’d like more of the flavour and if it hasn’t affected the texture in any negative way. In this cake for example I ended up using a 50% wheat flour cocoa powder mix and 50% Doves Farm Organic White Rye Flour for the perfect balance of flavour and texture. 

Doves Farm are a family owned British organic flour and food company, founded in 1978. Their Organic White Rye Flour is available direct from www.dovesfarm.co.uk or from Ocado, Sainsbury’s or Tesco. 

Double Chocolate Loaf Cake with Whipped Caramelised White Ganache
Serves 10-12

125g unsalted butter, diced
150g caster sugar
150g light brown sugar
5 large eggs
125ml sour cream
75ml strong black coffee
100g plain flour
50g cocoa powder (dutched/black)
150g Doves Farm Organic White Rye Flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp fine sea salt
150g dark chocolate chips

Whipped Caramelised White Chocolate Ganache
150g caramelised white chocolate, finely chopped
75ml double cream
Chocolate mini eggs, roughly chopped, for decoration

@theboywhobakes When caramel meets chocolate #caramelizedwhitechocolate #caramel #bakinghacks #SixNationsRugby #JDAirMaxMode #GameTok #fypシ #tiktokbaker #chocolatelover #chocolaterecipe ♬ Why Are There Boundaries - FKJ

@theboywhobakes Whipped caramelised white chocolate ganache #caramelizedwhitechocolate #whippedganache #SixNationsRugby #JDAirMaxMode #caramel #fypシ #tiktokbaker #chocolatelover #chocolaterecipe #ganache ♬ Orange Juice - Tomppabeats

To make the cake you’ll need a loaf pan that measures 9x4x4 (the type I prefer is known as a small Pullman pan and is available here). If you only have a traditional 1lb loaf pan (the type normally called for in a loaf recipe) you can make a batter 3/5’s of the above recipe and bake for about 45 mins.

Preheat the oven to 180ºC (160ºC Fan) and lightly grease your loaf pan and line with a strip of parchment paper that overhangs the long sides of the tin, securing in place with metal binder clips.

Place the butter in a small saucepan and place over low/medium heat and cook until the butter is fully melted. Remove from the heat and set aside for the moment. 

In a large bowl add the sugars and eggs and using an electric mixer whisk together for a minute or two until fully combined. Add the sour cream, and coffee and whisk briefly to combine. In a separate bowl whisk together the plain flour, cocoa powder, Doves Farm Organic White Rye Flour, baking powder and salt. As we are using both light brown sugar and cocoa powder it is advisable to sieve this mixture as both of these ingredients have a nasty habit of clumping. Add the dry goods to the egg mixture and use a balloon whisk to gently stir the batter together. Pour in the cooled melted butter and fold with the whisk until combined. Add the chocolate chips and very briefly mix into the batter. Be careful to only mix as needed, cakes with rye flour can become gummy if mixed for too long. Scrape the batter into the prepared loaf pan and bake in the preheated oven for about 60 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the cake comes out clean. Remove the pan from the oven and set aside for 20 minutes before carefully unfolding and setting onto a wire rack to cool completely. To ensure the crust of the cake is tender and hasn’t dried out, whilst the cake is still warm cover with a clean kitchen towel. The warmth of the cake is caught by the towel and slightly steams the outside of the cake helping ensure it stays tender.

For the ganache place the chocolate and the cream into a small bowl and place over a pan of simmering water. Stir occasionally until the chocolate has fully melted. Remove from the heat and stir until you have a smooth silky ganache. Refrigerate for up to 30 minutes or until the ganache has thickened up but is still spreadable. Remove from the fridge and using an electric mixer whisk the ganache until it turns into a pale and fluffy cream like texture. Spread this over the top of the cake and decorate with the chopped mini eggs.

Kept covered this cake will keep for at least 3 days.

Espresso Caramel Sheet Cake

Today I have a fabulous treat for you, a sneak peek at a seriously delicious recipe from my new book One Tin Bakes Easy which has now been out in the UK, Aus and NZ for a month and from today is also on sale in the USA and Canada.

If you haven’t heard about the book yet let me give a quick 30 second explanation. Last year I released my book One Tin Bakes, a collection of 70 recipes that are all made in the same 9x13 tin. I was blown away by the response, the book became a bestseller and even a year later I still see you guys baking from it every single day. The book came out in the midst of the pandemic and right in the middle of lockdowns all over the world. People were stuck at home and baking became one the things they relaxed with, everyone and their grandmother was making banana bread or turning out loaves of sourdough. When people picked up a copy One Tin Bakes it became really clear to me, through the emails and instagram DM’s I was receiving, that so many people baking last year were doing so for the very first time. Even though the recipes in One Tin Bakes are relatively simple there was still some nervousness with new bakers around many basics of baking. Because of this and the success of the book I decided to write a second volume in the series, a collection of 70 brand new recipes that were even easier than the original book. I am talking one bowl cakes that use the all in one method, treats that are no-bake, recipes that only use 5 ingredients. 

One Tin Bakes Easy shares the same DNA as One Tin Bakes but the recipes are as simple as I could possibly manage. They may be easy but the recipes never compromise on flavour, they’re easy but delicious. If that sounds like something you’d appreciate the book is now available everywhere books are sold in America, Canada, the UK, New Zealand and Australia. You can also buy copies anywhere in the world via The Book Depository.

If you are thinking you’d like to buy a copy as a present (the holiday season is upon us after all) There are a number of places you can buy signed copies. In the UK Waterstones have a stock of signed copies that you can buy online and from some stores in person (check their site for availability. In the US the Book Larder in Seattle have signed copies and they can ship anywhere in the country. I am also working on trying to get signed copies in more countries so bear with me if you’re looking to get one elsewhere. 

The recipe I have chosen to show you is my Espresso Caramel Sheet Cake. The cake is an all in one affair made with sour cream and a very healthy dose of espresso (or the strongest coffee you can make at home). The topping is a truly heavenly mix of dulce de leche, cream cheese and cream whisked until billowy and soft. It is spread over the cake and finished with a sprinkling of flaked sea salt. Trust me when I say you need to make this.

Espresso and Caramel Sheet Cake
Recipe from my new book One Tin Bakes Easy

Note: as you will see the measurements in this recipe are in both metric and imperial and this is how they appear in the book so no matter what style of measurement you prefer you are covered

170g (6oz/11⁄2 sticks) very soft unsalted butter, plus extra for greasing
320g (111⁄4oz/21⁄2 cups + 1 tablespoon) plain (all-purpose) flour
3 teaspoons baking powder 1⁄2 teaspoon fine sea salt
175g (6oz/3⁄4 cup + 2 tablespoons) caster (superfine) sugar
175g (6oz/3⁄4 cup + 2 teaspoons) light brown sugar
3 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract 100ml (31⁄2fl oz/1⁄3 cup + 4 teaspoons) cold espresso or very strong black coffee
75ml (23⁄4fl oz/5 tablespoons) sour cream Flaked sea salt, for sprinkling 

Caramel Cream Cheese Frosting

170g (6oz/3⁄4 cup) cream cheese, at room temperature
397g (14oz) can dulce de leche
240ml (81⁄2fl oz/1 cup) double (heavy) cream, chilled 

Preheat the oven to 180oC (160oC Fan) 350oF, Gas Mark 4. Lightly grease your 23 x 33cm (9 x 13in) baking tin and line it with a strip of parchment paper that overhangs the long sides, securing it in place with two metal clips. 

Place the flour, baking powder, salt and sugars in a large bowl and whisk to combine. Add the butter, eggs, vanilla, espresso and sour cream and mix until a smooth batter forms. Pour it into the prepared tin and spread evenly. 

Bake for about 35–40 minutes, or until the cake springs back to a light touch. Set aside to cool in the tin for 15 minutes before using the parchment paper to lift the cake onto a wire rack to cool completely. 

For the frosting, place the cream cheese and dulce de leche in a large bowl and whisk until smooth. Add the cream and whisk until the mixture holds soft peaks. Spread the frosting all over the cold cake and sprinkle with flaked sea salt just before serving. 

The cake can be made a couple days in advance if stored in a sealed container, but the frosting needs to be made and served on the same da

Boston Cream Bundt Cake

Boston Cream Pie, as it is traditionally called, is a bit of a misnomer in that it is clearly a cake and not a pie. The name, supposedly, harks back to the 1800’s when the line between what was a cake and what was a pie was blurred somewhat, the names being used in more of an interchangeable manner. Either way, what is known about the origins of the cake are murky at best, with the Parker House Hotel claiming they invented the cake but food historians saying its origins are much more likely older than the hotel itself. Traditionally the cake would be made with either a rich butter cake or a lighter whisked sponge, the latter being the version I am more au fait with. The filling was always a rich pastry cream but the topping, which used to be a chocolate fondant, has morphed into a more common chocolate ganache glaze. My version sticks very close to this formula with a whisked sponge in the style of a chiffon cake, filled with a vanilla rich pastry cream and topped with a silky ganache glaze. The only thing I have omitted in this version is the traditional sliced almonds that coat the outside of the cake. Feel free to scatter almonds over the finished cake if you wish.

Boston Cream Bundt Cake
Serves 12-15

Bundt Cake
250g caster sugar
4 large eggs
2 tsp vanilla bean paste
120ml olive oil
80ml whole milk
200g plain flour
1 + 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp fine sea salt

Custard Filling
300ml whole milk
1 tsp vanilla bean paste
100g caster sugar
25g cornflour 
2 large egg yolks
1 large egg
30g unsalted butter
Pinch of fine sea salt

Chocolate Glaze
70g dark chocolate, finely chopped
100ml double cream

For the custard filling place the milk, vanilla and roughly half the sugar into a saucepan and place over medium heat and bring to a simmer. Meanwhile, place the remaining sugar and the cornstarch into a mixing bowl and whisk together until combined. Just before the milk is at temperature add the egg yolks and whole egg to the sugar and cornflour mixture and whisk together until smooth. 

When the milk is at temperature remove from the heat and slowly pour over the egg mixture, whisking as you do you. Pour the custard back into the pan and place on the heat and whisk constantly until the custard is very thick and has bubbled. Immediately scrape the custard into a bowl and stir in the butter and a pinch of salt, mixing until smooth. Press a sheet of clingfilm onto the surface of the custard and refrigerate until needed. 

Preheat the oven to 180ºC (160ºC Fan). Grease a 10-cup bundt pan, using either a cake release spray or brushing with softened butter and then dusting with flour. My preference is using a homemade ‘cake goop’ made from an equal volume measure of shortening, neutral oil and all purpose flour, mixed to a paste. 

Place the sugar, eggs and vanilla into the bowl of a stand mixer, fitted with the whisk attachment. On medium/high speed whisk for about 7 minutes or until ribbon stage. Turn the mixer to medium/low and slowly pour in the olive oil and then the milk. Sieve in the flour, baking powder and salt and fold the flour until the batter is smooth and no signs of flour remain. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and then give the pan a couple firm taps on the work surface to pop any large bubbles. 

Bake in the preheated oven for about 35 minutes or until the cake springs back to a light touch. Remove from the oven and set aside for 10 minutes before inverting the cake onto a wire rack to cool completely. 

Once cooled use a serrated knife to cut the cake into two layers. Remove the custard from the fridge and beat to loosen. Place the bottom layer of the cake onto a cake stand or plate and spread the custard over the cut surface. Top with the second cake layer and refrigerate while you make the glaze. 

Place the chocolate into a jug and set aside for the moment. Place the cream into a small milk pan and over medium heat bring to a simmer. Pour into the jug with the chocolate and set aside for a couple minutes before stirring with a small sauce whisk to form a silky ganache. Remove the cake from the fridge and then pour over the glaze, allowing it to drip down the sides of the cake.

The cake is best used within a day or two

Neapolitan Marble Bundt Cake

This post is sponsored by Nordicware UK

It is no secret that I am a big fan of Bundt® cakes (I’ve written enough recipes for them for that to be pretty obvious) so I’m thrilled to be posting a very special anniversary recipe today in collaboration with Nordicware, the creators of the Bundt® pan. This year, the Minneapolis based bakeware manufacturer turns 75 years old, and to celebrate they have released a new 75th Anniversary Braided Bundt® Pan and they tasked me with coming up with something special to bake in it.

The recipe is inspired by that classic ice cream, the Neapolitan, a mix of chocolate, vanilla and raspberry. The cake is based around the classic pound cake, it’s dense but moist and needs no fancy adornment, although I’ll never object to a ganache or buttercream, the cake itself is good enough on its own. For the chocolate mixture I use a deep dark black cocoa which gives a great colour and flavour. For the vanilla flavour I also add a little white chocolate which makes a wonderful tender cake. The final section is made with freeze dried raspberry powder for a pop of colour and a great raspberry flavour. 

The anniversary Bundt® pan has very distinct sections so I carefully add a different batter to each section so that when the cake is turned out it has a distinctive design. Inside the cake something special happens. Whilst the outside stays distinct in its separation of colours inside the batters naturally swirl together giving a classic marble cake look without any actual swirling. To give the cake a little sparkle, a little finishing touch, the cake is brushed with a thin icing sugar glaze, that gives it an almost doughnut like glaze, thin and translucent and which shatters as it is cut through. 

If you are in the UK the 75th Anniversary Bundt® Pan is available here

Neapolitan Marble Bundt Cake
Serves 15

Base Batter
340g unsalted butter, room temperature
450g caster sugar
6 large eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract

Chocolate Batter
85g plain flour
50g cocoa powder
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp fine sea salt
40ml sour cream

White Chocolate and Raspberry Batter
250g plain flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp fine sea salt
80ml sour cream
75g white chocolate, finely chopped
3 tbsp freeze dried raspberry powder
A little red gel food colouring

Prepare your bundt pan, brushing with a thin layer of cake goop, or brushing with softened butter and dusting with a thin layer of flour (read my guide on ensuring your bundt cake doesn’t stick here)

Place the white chocolate into a heatproof bowl and set over a pan of simmering water and heat, stirring occasionally, until fully melted. Remove from the heat and set aside whilst you prepare the cake. 

Place the butter and sugar into a large bowl and using an electric mixer beat on medium speed for about 5 minutes or until light and fluffy. Add in the eggs one at a time, beating until fully combined before adding another. Finish by briefly mixing in the vanilla. 

Scrape one third of the batter into a separate bowl (top tip: weigh the bowl you want to make the batter in before you start. This way you can simply weigh the bowl with the batter, deduct the bowl weight and then can easily find the weight of the batter). To this third add the ingredients for the chocolate batter, mixing until a smooth cake batter is formed. Into the remaining two thirds add everything for the white chocolate and raspberry batters, except the melted chocolate, raspberry powder and food colouring, mixing to form a smooth cake batter. Take this batter and divide again into two equal portions. To one mix through the melted chocolate and to the other mix in the raspberry powder and a little food colouring to make a vibrant pink. 

To portion the batter into the tin you have two choices, you can spoon the batters into the tin trying to keep each batter neatly inside each section of the tin, alternating the colours as you go, or if you want the neatest possible finish, you can use piping bags. Whichever method you choose add the batter in slowly, little by little, gradually increasing the height, which will help ensure a clean design on the outside of the cake. You can of course simply dollop in the batter in a random fashion if you want to keep things simple.

Before you bake the cake give the pan a couple sharp taps on the worksurface so that the batter fills every nook and cranny of the pan. Pop the cake into the oven for about 55 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the cake comes out clean. Remove the pan from the oven and set onto a wire rack to cool for 10 minutes before inverting the cake and allowing it to cool fully. If you are opting to make the vanilla glaze make this before turning the cake out and use as soon as the cake has been removed from the pan whilst still hot. 

Serve once fully cooled. The finished cake will keep for 2-3 days if kept well covered. 

Vanilla Glaze 
150g icing sugar
2 + 1/2 tbsp milk
1 tsp vanilla bean paste
Small pinch of salt.

Add the icing sugar, 2 tbsp of milk, the vanilla and salt to a small bowl and mix together to make a smooth glaze. The finished texture wants to be on the thin side and fairly runny, you may need to add another 1/2 tbsp of milk to get to this texture. 

Whilst the cake is still hot from the oven use a pastry brush to coat the cake in the glaze. I add the glaze now as the heat from the cake makes the glaze set and turn slightly translucent almost like the glaze on a classic ring doughnut.