FOOD NEWS
16 Ingredients To Upgrade Chocolate Cake
BY LEI SHISHAK
Chocolate Chips
For the chocolate lovers out there, adding chocolate chips to chocolate cake is a must. Try experimenting with white, milk, semi-sweet, dark, or even a combination of chips.
To keep the chips from sinking, add them to the dry ingredients to coat them with flour, or pour a layer of chip-free batter into your cake pan to act as a barrier.
British Tea Biscuits
With a crisp texture and mild flavor, British tea biscuits can add a pleasant crunch to your chocolate cake. Simply crush them into bite-sized bits and fold them into your batter.
The unexpected texture is sure to wow your guests. In fact, chocolate biscuit cake was a favorite of Queen Elizabeth II and other members of the royal family.
Hot Cocoa
Since cocoa powder can turn your cake dry if used in excess, use prepared hot cocoa to add extra moisture and a boost of chocolate flavor to your cake layers.
Simply make a serving of hot cocoa, whether homemade or from a mix, and drizzle or brush a generous amount over each cake sheet to add moisture and flavor before frosting.
Hot Water
If your chocolate cake recipe calls for water, consider using hot water, which will “bloom” the cocoa in your cake and draw out more chocolatey flavor.
Since water doesn’t add a flavor of its own, it won’t distract from the natural taste of the cocoa, meaning you get the maximum amount of chocolate flavor in your cake.
Coffee
Coffee can take chocolate cake to the next level by deepening and sweetening the cocoa and amplifying subtle floral, fruity, caramel, or nutty notes in your chocolate.
To try it, substitute some or all of the liquid in your recipe with hot coffee, or add a ½ to 1 teaspoon of instant coffee powder to the wet ingredients that go into the batter.