68 February 2015 www.womanthismonth.com LIFESTYLE | food Denying the Inevitable Feeding his way into your heart this month, James Claire cannot resist the urge any longer and goes for the one thing he has avoided though he knows it hits the spot every time: chocolate. 200g white sugar 85g brown sugar 115g unsalted butter 3 eggs 210g flour 60g cocoa powder 1 tspn bicarbonate soda 1 tspn salt 1 tspn baking powder 1 tspn vanilla essence 250ml milk Chocolate Frosting 500g cream 500g dark chocolate 150g corn syrup • Preheat the oven to 175° Celsius. Grease and line the base of three 20cm diameter cake pans. • In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream together the white sugar, brown sugar and softened butter with the vanilla essence until light and creamy. Add the eggs one at a time and combine well between additions. • Sift together the flour, soda, baking powder, salt and cocoa powder. Add half the dry ingredients to the butter mixture, then half the milk, followed by the second half of both. Mix to combine well. • Divide the mixture between the three pans and bake for 25-30 minutes each, or until the top springs back when touched. Remove when baked and allow layers to cool in tins. • To make the frosting, melt the cream, chocolate and corn syrup in the top of a double-boiled bowl over a saucepan of hot water, stirring as it heats. DOUBLE CHOCOLATE FUDGE CAKE For years I have tried not to make a food column about Valentine’s, simply about chocolate. I have covered dinners for two, options for the lonely at heart and every conceivable meal plan possible. This year I am not denying the inevitable any longer. Valentine’s is as much about chocolate as it is about roses and a smattering of pink fluffy toys and about human touch and love to one another. Why deny chocolate when it’s Valentine’s, right! If we indulge once a year what’s the harm? There really is no better surefire way to a person’s heart than a direct cupid shot of chocolate, whether that be in the form of a cake, brownies or a local favourite like Mahalabia. For some of us, the only comfort we might actually have at Valentine’s is the chocolate cake that we make ourselves. Certainly it can be far more satisfying and far cheaper than the Hallmark options. Happy Valentine's to you all. • When all chocolate is melted, place the mixture into a shallow pan and place into the refrigerator. Stir the mix every 10 minutes over approximately 1 to 1 and 1⁄2 hours until it is thick enough to ice the cake and hold its shape. • Join the layers with the icing and decorate the sides and top with the remaining chocolate frosting. • Refrigerate the cake for 1 hour before serving.
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