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the easiest chocolate cake in the world – we should cocoa

29 April 2011 by Dominic Franks

perfect cake for a Royal Wedding eh?

so this is quite literally the easiest chocolate cake ever made… i promise you, other than the hour it takes to bake in the oven and the decoration (your choice… you don’t have to decorate, you could just eat whilst its still warm…) it takes about 3 minutes from counter top to oven… and I invented it!

… as you know I’ve been baking cakes for the Gunby Hall tea room and I’ve been looking for a way to reduce my baking time, without compromising on taste and I’ve been messing around with different recipes and after much tasting and baking I think I’ve finally discovered the way to do it… this cake is kind of like an ‘all-in-one’ sponge with some added pizzaz in the form of some luxury chocolate spread… I’ve also included a layer of home-made marzipan, just this once, so that i can submit it for the we should cocoa challenge, although I quite like this marzipan layer, we’ll have to see how it goes down at the tea room…

Easy Chocolate Cake with a Marzipan layer 


first make the marzipan as it needs to sit in the fridge for an hour or two before using…

200g ground almonds
200g golden caster sugar
1 egg – beaten
1 teaspoon almond essence

mix the almonds and sugar, then add the beaten egg and almond essence and fork it through until it comes together, then get your hands in and knead it into a ball.  wrap it in cling film and pop it in the fridge for at least an hour.

next make the cake… are you ready… this is going to be fast!

175g margarine
175g sugar
3 eggs
200g self raising flour
1tsp baking powder
2tsp cinnamon
4tbs milk
4tbs luxury chocolate spread (you could use Nutella)

– quite literally bung it all into a bowl and whisk it into a frenzy for about 2 minutes.  pour it into a prepared cake tin (i used a 22cm round) and bake for 1hr on 160C

– once it’s cooled you can decorate it… obviously I’ve layered the centre with a spreading of icing and Marzipan, but you can do as you wish

– I’ve iced it with this icing, to which I’ve added 3 teaspoons of cocoa powder

eat and of course, enjoy!

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Comments

  1. From Beyond My Kitchen Window says

    29 April 2011 at 10:35 am

    Doesn't sound like it could get any easier. Yes, it does look perfect for a Royal Wedding. If there is cream cheese in the frosting I'm eating it.

  2. Ocean Breezes and Country Sneezes says

    29 April 2011 at 10:45 am

    OMG, what a perfect dessert for the Royal Wedding! I'll have my slice with tea!

  3. Tina V. says

    29 April 2011 at 11:36 am

    Wow, the cake looks perfect!

  4. o cozinheiro este algarve says

    29 April 2011 at 1:07 pm

    I should cocoa too.
    http://casarosada-algarve.blogspot.com/2011/04/i-should-cocoa.html
    Mine only takes 13 minutes, but yours has undoubtably got more flavours going for it.

  5. Jenn says

    29 April 2011 at 1:16 pm

    You are a genius!! Love how truly easy this sounds…and it looks divine! Thanks for sharing!

  6. Jen S. says

    29 April 2011 at 1:26 pm

    I don't know whether I am more excited about the cake or the marzipan payer.

  7. Brownieville Girl says

    29 April 2011 at 3:07 pm

    I am so proud at how well things are going for you at Gunby Hall …. WELL DONE!

    Wish I were near enough to visit.

    Not really into the Royal Wedding myself (!)…. but what was Fergies daughter wearing (the blue)?????? and didn't Zara look great, and how embarrassed will those page boys be in years to come??!!!!!!!!!!!!

    This cake sounds like just the ticket … just want you to do something about the whole hour in the oven!!!!!!!!!

  8. Dom at Belleau Kitchen says

    29 April 2011 at 6:38 pm

    Well. It was a great day want it? Tried to avoid it but those hats just threw me and like a moth to a flame I was drawn in. Plus The Mothers here and she insisted on watching!!! Cake went down well with the boys at Gunby. Happy weekend everyone!! X

  9. Suelle says

    29 April 2011 at 6:48 pm

    Lovely cake, Dom. I've been using marzipan as a filling for chocolate cakes for years – if it's layered with a little buttercream, ganache and/or apricot jam (to hold it in place) it gradually dissolves into an amalgamated central layer that is gooey, almondy and chocolatey all at once (if it lasts more than a day!). Fabulous!

  10. Michael Toa says

    29 April 2011 at 9:24 pm

    Fantastic! The cake looks delicious Dom and perfect for the Royal Wedding indeed. Enjoy your long weekend Dom.

  11. Dom at Belleau Kitchen says

    30 April 2011 at 7:37 am

    oh and @ BVG – thanks, hopefully it will become something good. Not much I can do about the hour in the oven, I too thought it was a long time but it's a low temp, which accounts for the brilliant rise you get I guess…

  12. Chele says

    30 April 2011 at 8:14 am

    Clever clogs! Can you save me a slice of the non marzipan version?
    ;0)

  13. Angela/Soap Mom's Kitchen/Sutherland Soap Creamery says

    30 April 2011 at 5:15 pm

    A royal cake indeed!!! Looks scrumptious and sounds very easy!

  14. Choclette says

    30 April 2011 at 7:48 pm

    Fantastic looking cake – I guess you've got to up the anti a bit now you're selling them. Interesting how many marzipan recipes there are, home made is so much nicer than bought. Thanks for entering, I've added you in as I've only just managed to compile the round up (deadline is 25th of the month).

  15. Dom at Belleau Kitchen says

    30 April 2011 at 10:57 pm

    oh god thanks Choclette… I had no idea there was a deadline… thought it was end of month!… goes to show I never read anything properly!!!! xx

  16. Tess Kincaid says

    1 May 2011 at 1:39 am

    Yum!! Looks pretty, too. Thanks, Dom!

  17. Bartelmy says

    1 May 2011 at 2:35 pm

    I did the same thing with the deadline, Dom.;p

    That cake looks lovely.:D

  18. Phil in the Kitchen says

    1 May 2011 at 10:24 pm

    Great cake – still not convinced about marzipan, though.

  19. snowy says

    2 May 2011 at 10:23 am

    What a great cake – easy to make. Perfect as a dessert for friends this week[ but without the marzipan!].

  20. Dom at Belleau Kitchen says

    2 May 2011 at 10:55 am

    @snowy. Thanks. It's a great cake. A few people have made it over the weekend with great success!

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My name is Dominic, I am a cook, food writer and creative event producer. I write the food blog Dom In The Kitchen and also write a monthly recipe column for Lincolnshire Life Magazine and Good Taste Magazine. I also run creative event production company The Persuaders, producing global events for brands since 1997. I am based both in the small village of Belleau in Lincolnshire and the smaller village of London! Read More…

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Here’s the #recipe:

🍓 200g butter
🍓 200g golden caster sugar
🍓 3 large free-range eggs
🍓 200g ground almonds
🍓 100g strawberries – quartered
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🍓 1 teaspoon @little_pod Vanilla Bean Paste

I greased a 20cm fluted ceramic pie dish and pre-heated the oven to 160C

beat the sugar and butter together in a large bowl until light and creamy… a stand mixer will do this in 4 minutes, a hand held electric whisk will do it in 6 minutes and a wooden spoon will do it in 8 minutes.

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lay half the remaining fruit into the bottom of your dish and cover with the frangipane batter, then scatter the remaining fruit on top

bake for 45 mins or until darkly golden brown, then remove from the oven and let it cool to set

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🍳 2 large onions
🍳 2 large carrots – roughly grated
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🥚 water
🥚 salt
🥚 a ramekin or similar

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