Chocolate Loaf Cake
I was restless one Sunday and craving for something chocolatey and sweet to go with my afternoon coffee. So I made this easy chocolate loaf cake, a suggested modification from Maidera Loaf Cake in Coffee & Bites. Interestingly textured due to the ground almond, the cake is is excellent with strong espresso.
Ingredients:
1 1/4 cups self-rising flour (or all purpose flour + 1 1/4 tsp baking powder)
1/4 cup semi-sweet cocoa powder
1 tsp baking powder
1 cup almond meal
3/4 - 1 cup caster sugar (depending on how bitter your cocoa powder is)
175 g unsalted butter, softened
3 medium eggs, lightly beaten
3 tbsp milk
Ganache:
115 g bittersweet chocolate
75 ml double cream
Directions:
Preheat oven to 170 degrees Celsius. Lightly grease 1 kg loaf pan.
Sift the flour and baking powder into a bowl and stir in the ground almond. Add the sugar, butter, eggs and milk. Beat with a wooden spoon, electric hand-whisk or food processor.
Spoon the batter two-third up into the tin. Level and bake for 1 hour until well-risen and cooked through. Cool for 10 minutes then spread with ganache.
Ganache:
Melt the chocolate with double thick cream. Cover and set aside until required.
Afterthoughts (9 Nov 09):
For a moister and more savoury cake, I reduced the butter to 165 g, added 1 tbsp of olive oil and 1/2 tsp salt.
