Moist Chocolate Cake and Cupcakes

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Last week, Matthew celebrated his birthday and I was asked by our little boy to make a Spiderman cake. At first, I was planning to make a moist chocolate cake covered with fondant. I haven't tried making any fondant-covered cakes before so this will be my first time.

Moist chocolate cake and cupcakes

To fulfill the celebrant’s wish, I made a Spiderman face placed on top of the cake but the cake was covered not with fondant but chocolate ganache. 

I also made few cupcakes for Matthew’s classmates.

I had difficulty in making the face but finished just in time with his school celebration.

Spiderman Cake

Since the mini-party at home will start in the afternoon, I managed to add more embellishments on the cake. Here is the finished product.

Spiderman birthday cake

For the cupcakes, I just filled the core with some of the excess ganache then topped with blue boiled icing.

Spiderman

What is Mommy’s judgement about the cake? Beautiful for a first timer but the taste is delicious and super chocolatey!

MOIST CHOCOLATE CAKE AND CUPCAKES

(This recipe yields 25 2oz cupcakes and a 9”x4” round cake.)

Ingredients:

For the cake:

4 cups all purpose flour

1 ½ cups cocoa powder (Dutche brand)

2 cups granulated sugar

1 cup brown sugar

½ cup butter, melted

100 grams semi-sweet chocolate chips

4 large eggs

2 tbsp instant coffee powder

2 tbsp vanilla

3 tsp baking powder

3 tsp baking soda

2 tsp salt

2 cups water

1 cup vegetable oil

For the ganache:

1 bar (500grams) Dutche Chocolate bar, chopped

1 cup all purpose cream

¼ cup butter

Instructions:

1. Combine all purpose flour, cocoa powder, coffee powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

2. Dry mix and sift three times.

3. Set aside. This will be the dry ingredients.

4. Melt butter and chocolate chips in a double boiler.

5. Add sugar, vegetable oil, and vanilla.

6. Mix until slurry.

7. Add eggs one at a time.

8. Add dry ingredients and water alternately starting and ending with the dry ingredients.

9. Mix until no more lumps of dry ingredients is observed.

10. Pour in a baking pan lined with greased parchment paper. Tap the pan several times to remove air bubbles. For cupcakes, fill the liner to about ¾.

11. Bake in a preheated oven at 150C for 30-45 minutes and 12-15 minutes for cupcakes ot until toothpick inserted in the middle come out clean.

12. Cool and set aside.

13. To make the ganache, put all the ingredients in a double boiler and heat until all the chocolate has been melted.

14. Spread on top and sides of the prepared cake.

For the cupcakes, I made a blue-colored boiled icing.

Tip/s:

All ingredients must be at room temperature before use.

To make the cake smooth, line the bottom of the pan first then the sides. Be sure that the lining has no folds or any crumpled area.

If you are making cakes more than 4-inch think, place a core in the middle of the pan to ensure even cooking.

Placing baking strip or wet towel around the pan will help the cake to raise evenly.

I used wire whisk instead of hand-mixer in preparation of batter.

Do not over mix.