When it comes to cake, it really is no question that chocolate wins as the best flavor ever. Plus, there are so many different varieties and options when it comes to chocolate that it is impossible for a person not to find something they love.
For me, just about any well-prepared chocolate recipe will do, but I think this one deserves a special place in my kitchen. To make this recipe, the eggs were whipped an extra amount, leaving the cake super light and spongy. The chocolate ganache adds richness to the cake, and the coconut adds another layer of flavor.
The recipe was adapted from a book called fika by Anna Brones and Johanna Kindvall. “Fika” is the Swedish coffee break and this book is full of recipes that will go great with an afternoon cup.
The recipes in this book range from traditional yeasted breads to more modern cookies to savory bite-sized sandwiches. Most of the recipes are simple and straight-forward, using only a handful of ingredients that most bakers already have in stock. For the more complicated recipes (like the breads), step-by-step pictures are included.
The entire book is illustrated rather than photographed. Although at first I was not sure illustrations could really be as useful as actual photos, I think the drawings really work for this book. Drawings make it much easier to diagram a dessert to really allow the reader to know and understand how the various pastries should be prepared and served.
Overall, I would highly recommend this book to all coffee-lovers. The recipes in here are simple and delicious, and many of them are pretty quick to make too. None of the recipes are too rich or overly decadent, making this a great every-day book and a perfect resource for a family brunch!
- 10 tbsp butter
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 4 tbsp cocoa powder
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup sugar
- 3/4 cups 2% milk
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 3/4 cups heavy cream
- 6 oz dark chocolate
- 1/2 cup shredded coconut
- Make the Cake: Preheat oven to 375ºF and grease a 9x13 inch rectangular cake pan.
- Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Remove from heat and set aside.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt.
- In the bowl of a standing mixer, whip the eggs until light and frothy. Slowly add the sugar, then the milk and vanilla. Blend in the butter. Slowly mix in the dry ingredients. Pour batter into prepared baking pan and bake for 13-16 minutes, or until inserted toothpick comes out clean.
- Make the Ganache: In a small saucepan, heat the chocolate and heavy cream together. Heat and stir just until the chocolate has melted. Remove from heat and allow to cool. To speed the process, place in the fridge for about half and hour.
- Once the cake is out of the oven and has cooled, ice with the ganache. Sprinkle the shredded coconut on top. Cut into squares.
FTC Disclaimer: this book has been received from Blogging for Books in exchange for an honest review.
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