Chocolate Celebration Cake
Jamie Oliver's chocolate celebration cake recipe will reset everyone’s expectations of what a chocolate cake should be. From his new cookbook, Comfort Food.
From the book
Jamie’s Comfort Food
The ultimate comfort food recipes from Jamie Oliver
Crowd-pleasing family classics
All of your favourite indulgent desserts
Introduction
Every household needs a blooming good chocolate cake in their repertoire, whether it’s just for the hell of maintaining your chocolate quota, or of course for those special occasions where you need a freshly baked cake, or need to arrive somewhere with a showstopper in hand. Regardless, this chocolate celebration cake will reset everyone’s expectations of what a chocolate cake should be – it’s delicious, it has incredible texture, it looks absolutely amazing, and it’s a pleasure to make and watch people enjoying.
Ingredients
| For the sponge | |
| 250g | unsalted butter, plus extra for greasing |
| 150g | quality dark chocolate (70%) |
| 2 tbsp | olive oil |
| 300g | caster sugar |
| 6 | large free-range eggs |
| 150g | self-raising flour |
| 4 tbsp | quality cocoa powder |
| For the chocolate rice layer | |
| 300g | quality dark chocolate (70%) or quality milk chocolate, plus extra to serve |
| 75g | unsalted butter |
| 1 tbsp | runny honey |
| 100ml | double cream |
| 100g | puffed rice cereal |
| For the nougat frosting | |
| 2 | large free-range egg whites |
| 3 tbsp | runny honey |
| 200g | caster sugar |
| 1 level tsp | cream of tartar |
| 1/2 tsp | vanilla extract |
| Optional | |
| 1/2 tsp | orange blossom or rose water |
Essential kit
You will need a deep 23cm loose-bottomed cake tin.
Method
Total time: 2 hours / 542 calories
Preheat the oven to 180ºC/350ºF/gas 4. Grease and line a deep 23cm loose-bottomed cake tin, lining the base and sides with a double layer of greaseproof paper. For the sponge, smash up the chocolate and melt in a large heatproof bowl with the butter, oil and sugar over a pan of gently simmering water until smooth and glossy. Remove the bowl from the heat and leave to cool for 10 minutes, then, using an electric hand whisk at high speed, one-by-one beat in the eggs until combined. Sift in the flour and cocoa with a good pinch of sea salt and beat for a short while until just combined. Pour into the prepared tin and bake for around 50 minutes, or until an inserted skewer comes out ever so slightly gooey (the top of the cake will rise up and crack slightly, but don’t worry, it’ll end up covered by all your lovely toppings). Leave to cool in the tin for 15 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Place on a cake stand, use a long knife to carefully slice the sponge into 3 equal rounds and remove the top two sponges to separate plates (click to see how to do this).
For your chocolate rice layer, smash up the chocolate and melt with the butter, honey, cream and a pinch of salt in a large heatproof bowl over a pan of gently simmering water until smooth and glossy. Leave to cool for 5 minutes (to avoid soggy cereal!), then stir in the puffed rice until evenly coated. Divide the mixture onto the 3 cooled sponge layers and spread out evenly across the tops, going right to the edges.
To make the nougat frosting, place the egg whites in a heatproof bowl with the honey, sugar, cream of tartar, a good pinch of salt and a splash of water. Place over a pan of gently simmering water, turn up the heat, and with an electric hand whisk beat for 6 to 7 minutes, or until it starts to form peaks. Remove the bowl from the heat, add the vanilla extract and orange blossom or rose water (if using), then carry on beating the mixture until thick. Leave to cool for 5 to 10 minutes, then evenly top each sponge and stack them up neatly.To finish the cake off nicely, use a large knife to shave some extra chocolate, then sprinkle it over the top (click to see how to do this). Add your candles or sparklers, get them lit and indulge in chocolate celebration cake heaven. Enjoy!
Recipe © Jamie Oliver. Photography © Jamie Oliver Enterprises (2014, Jamie’s Comfort Food) Photographer: David Loftus.
