A decadent, fudgy chocolate espresso cake with a rich, glossy icing and topped with rose petals and chopped pistachios – perfect for any special occasion or as an indulgent treat that is a delight to the eyes, as well as the taste buds.
Ingredients
For the Cake
• 225g Al Ghurair Baking Flour
• 1½ tsp soda bicarbonate
• ½ tsp fine sea salt
• 1½ tsp instant espresso powder
• 75g cocoa powder
• 300g soft dark brown sugar
• 90ml (75g) Al Ghurair sunflower oil
• 1½ tsp cider vinegar or white wine vinegar
• 1 tbsp edible rose petals
• 1 tbsp chopped pistachios
For the Icing
• 75g coconut butter
• 50g soft dark brown sugar
• 1½ tsp instant espresso powder
• 1½ tbsp cocoa powder
• 150g dark chocolate (minimum 70% cocoa solids), finely chopped
Method
1. Preheat your oven to 180°C/160°C (350°F). Place a baking sheet at the bottom rack to catch any drips from the cake tin.
2. In a heavy-based saucepan, combine the coconut butter, dark sugar, espresso powder, cocoa powder, and 60ml cold water and bring it to boil.
3. Once the ingredients are dissolved, remove from heat, add finely chopped chocolate, and swirl the pan to submerge the chocolate.
4. Let it sit for a minute, then whisk until smooth and glossy. Set aside to cool, stirring occasionally.
Prepare the Cake
1. Line the base of a 20cm (8in) round cake tin with baking parchment.
2. In a bowl, mix together the flour, soda bicarbonate, sea salt, espresso powder, and cocoa powder.
3. In a separate bowl, combine the sugar, coconut oil, vinegar, and 375ml (1½ cups) hot water, stirring until the oil has melted.
4. Pour this wet mixture into the dry ingredients and mix until smooth.
5. Pour the batter into the prepared cake tin and bake for 35 minutes, checking at the 30 mark.
6. The cake is ready when it starts pulling away from the sides of the tin and a cake tester comes out clean with just a few crumbs attached.
7. Once baked, remove the cake from the oven and place the tin on a wire rack. Let the cake cool completely in its tin.
8. Stir the cooled icing to check its consistency. It should be runny enough to pour over the cake, but thick enough to stay mostly on top.
9. Remove the cake from the tin and pour the icing over the cake, using a spatula to spread it to the edges if needed.
10. For decoration, sprinkle with edible rose petals and chopped pistachios. You can also add any other toppings of your choice.
11. Allow the icing to set for 30 minutes before slicing. Serve this cake with a hot cup of coffee or tea.
