Bake a cake: chocolate cake with a fancy twist
We've zooshed up a simple chocolate cake with a hint of rosewater and adorned it with pink swirly cream for this luscious sweet treat.
Chocolate and rose cake
SERVES 12 PREP AND COOK TIME 1 HOUR (+ COOLING TIME) ½ cup (50g) Dutch-processed cocoa 175g unsalted butter, chopped 200g dark chocolate (70% cocoa), chopped coarsely 6 eggs, at room temperature 1½ cups (330g) caster sugar 1 teaspoon rosewater 2 cups (200g) hazelnut meal (ground hazelnuts) crystallised rose petals, to decorate, optional VANILLA ROSE CREAM 300ml cream 2 teaspoons pure icing sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 teaspoon rosewater pink food colouring
1 Preheat oven to 180°C (160°C fan-forced). Grease a deep 22cm round springform pan; line base and side with baking paper.
2 Place cocoa, butter and chocolate in a large heatproof bowl over a medium saucepan of simmering water (do not allow base of bowl to touch water); stir until butter and chocolate melt and mixture is smooth. Remove bowl from pan; cool for 15 minutes.
3 Beat eggs, sugar and rosewater in a small bowl with an electric mixer for 2 minutes or until thick and creamy. Add egg mixture to chocolate mixture; stir until just combined. Fold in hazelnut meal. Pour mixture into prepared pan.
4 Bake cake for 45 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Cool cake in pan.
5 VANILLA ROSE CREAM Beat cream, sugar, vanilla and rosewater in a medium bowl with an electric mixer until soft peaks form. Add a few drops of food colouring; fold gently through to swirl.
6 Serve cake topped with Vanilla Rose Cream and crystallised rose petals. Cake suitable to freeze. Not suitable to microwave.