Want to Impress - Fail Proof, Cheats, Black Forest Cake (never fails to rise)

Whenever I want to impress, I bake my fail proof chocolate cake. This recipe is my basic recipe with a few extras. The basic recipe is simple, easily adapted and all ingredients go into a food processor or mixing bowl. I guarantee it will rise triumphantly and taste so delicious you will never need another chocolate cake recipe again.

Ingredients:

1 cup caster sugar (extra fine granulated)

2 eggs

1 cup of black cherry yogurt or plain yogurt

3/4 cup cocoa

200gms soft butter

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 and a half teaspoons vanilla essence

1/4 tsp salt

3 cups self raising flour

1 cup coffee (strong)

8" or 20cm diameter cake tin with deep sides (spring bottom is best to be able to get the cake out easily after)

Decorating Ingredients:

Whipping Cream

Black cherry Jam or Blackberry (approximately 2/3rds cup)

Fresh cherries (about 10, stems on)

Icing sugar 

Bar of Dark Chocolate

Tin or jar of pitted cherries

Method:

• Put all ingredients except 'decorating' ingredients into a food processor or large bowl and mix well
• Turn into a loose bottom cake tin which is pre greased and lined with baking paper so that it extends about 3" above the pan
• Bake for 1 hour and 10 mins at 160 degrees Celsius (320 Fahrenheit) (check with cake skewer in the centre after one hour then again at 1 hour 10 mins to make sure skewer comes out clean, cooking time can depend on your ovens temperature)
• Allow to stand until fully cooled before removing from cake tin

Decorating:

• Slice carefully in the middle, you can cut twice if you wish to have a higher stack but once is sufficient
• Spread the Black Cherry jam over the lower layer, then spread with the tinned/preserved pitted cherries
• Place the other cake layer carefully on top
• Ice with chocolate icing (I cheated and bought some packet chocolate icing)
• Place fresh cherries in a pile in the centre of the cake
• Melt chocolate in a double boiler or use the method I used making Rocky Road Bark
• Spread melted chocolate out thinly onto a sheet of tin foil or parchment paper that has been placed on top of a thin metal tray. Place in freezer for a short time to harden
• Remove chocolate from freezer and break into shards
• dust the top of the cake with icing sugar and then place your shards upright around the cherries, see photo below
• Whip your cream and serve beside a slice of cake

This recipe can be adapted in so many ways, you can simply serve slices of the basic cake recipe with hot fudge sauce and ice cream, whipped cream or slice and fill with chocolate icing and simply dust with icing sugar. I guarantee it is a recipe that will rise every time and won't fail to impress.

Sharing this post with the following blogs:

I should be Mopping the Floor

The Dedicated House

A Stroll Thru Life

Alderberry Hill

DIY Showoff

Savvy Southern Style

Not Just A Housewife

No Minimalist Here

The Real Housewives of Riverton

Lee x

Inspiration Week 13 - Interiors, Recipes, Calendar & More

Well, were in the lead up to Christmas, only 28 days to go, I have said it before, and I will say it again, where has this year gone!  This Christmas will be a sad time for me not having my mum for the first time, I still  want it to be a  festive and enjoyable occasion for my family and friends as I know it's what she would want. I'm planning a really pretty Christmas tablescape using vintage items inherited from my mum, you will get a sneak peek next week.

I'm also excited to launch sponsorship on my site with a fabulous introductory offer so whether your a small  store, a larger business or a blogger, please see my Advertising/ Sponsorship page for more details.

This week's inspiration will be the last "non festive" post with the next few weeks inspiration full of  Christmas ideas. This week we start with a couple of yummy recipes from Lemons & Anchovies.

Cranberry Bars with Chocolate Shortbread crust from Lemons & Anchovies, this Yummy, gooey  slice is absolutely delicious. See "here" for the recipe.

A flour free ultra rich chocolate cake, great for those of us that are gluten free.

Now for something different...I recently discovered a website called "My Owl Barn", owned by Shivani. As an owl lover Shivani has collaborated a beautiful 2013 owl calendar of artwork contributed by well known artists from around the world. I've picked out a few of my favourite owls to share with you. However, you can view more images, read about this inspiring idea and download the 2013 calendar at Shivani's website, My Owl Barn.

Juliette Crane

Michelle Allen

Renee Treme

These are just four of 43 different owl pictures you can choose from. Either download the complete calendar or pick your owl and month and download individually.  Click "here" to choose your owl and download. It would be nice to also visit the artists sites, I have added a link beneath their work.

White interiors that caught my eye...

Images Sources 1| 2|3|4|5

Use your colour and design skills to create your own trend colours for 2013 using Benjamin Moore's Colour collection and Olio Board and be in with a chance to win one of four passes to Tobi Fairley's Design camps...  

Enter the Tobi Fairely and Benjamin Moore 2013 Color Trend Contest and you could win one of four passes to Tobi’s Design Camps as well as one of four Paint Prize Packs from Benjamin Moore. Simply design a space showcasing what you feel the trending colors will be for 2013 using Benjamin Moore’s Color collection.

We hope you've enjoyed this weeks inspiration, if you missed wk 12 you can catch up "here".

I look forward to sharing next weeks Christmas inspiration with you.

Sharing with:

I Should Be Mopping The Floor

Wow Us Wednesdays at Savvy Southern Style

Open House Party at No Minimalist Here

Time Travel Thursday at the Brambleberry Cottage

Show and tell Friday at My Romantic Home

At The Picket Fence

I Did Tell You