The Perfect Chocolate Cake by Amrita-Vishal: Know Your Blogger

This week it is Amrita-Vishal's turn on 'Know Your Blogger' event hosted by Kolkata Food Bloggers (KFB). They are the 'Sweet n Savoury' couple - the only husband and wife duo of our team. While Amrita loves and blogs on everything sweet, Vishal is more into savory. Today is my son's 4th birthday, and he has asked me to bake him some cupcakes just like last year. And what could be better than to recreate seasoned baker, Amrita's Perfect Chocolate Cake. 




I have followed Amrita's recipe for the cake almost to the tee, except for the part where I added a pinch of instant coffee granules to the recipe. This is my weakness, my compulsion. Instant coffee  takes the chocolaty taste to a different level altogether. And I made cupcakes instead of cake. Ohh.. I also added some chocolate chips as Soh loves those in his cupcakes. (But do visit her recipe to know how to do 'spider web' icing.)

For the cake she used: 

•     2 cups sugar(powdered)
•     1 3/4 cups refined flour
•     3/4 cups cocoa powder
•     1 1/2 tsp baking powder
•     1 1/2 tsp baking soda
•     1 tsp salt
•     2 eggs
•     1 cup milk
•     1/2 cup vegetable oil
•     2 tsp vanilla essence
•     1 cup boiling water

I added 1/2 tsp of coffee granules and 1/2 cup chocolate chips.

 For the Ganache she used

•     4 tbsp dark chocolate
•     2 tbsp cream

I added 1/4 tsp of coffee granules. 

Preheated oven to 180C. Mixed all the dry ingredients in a bowl, added the milk, beaten egg, oil and boiling water and using a fork, mixed well. Lined the muffin tin with cupcake liners and poured the batter till it came up to the 3/4th mark. Baked for about 15minutes. (Baking time may vary - always test by inserting a toothpick - it should come out clean). 
In a microwave safe bowl, heated the chocolate, coffee granules and cream together, while keeping a constant watch over it. Melting chocolate in the microwave may be tricky, as it might burn. I prefer the double boiler method, but since I was absolutely strapped for time, I cheated.
Once the cupcakes cooled down, I spooned the ganache on top and using a spoon smoothed it out a bit. (I tried to give it a dramatic look by making the ganache spill over - in retrospect, it wasn't a good idea). And decorated with Gems. 
Soh, my four year old was so excited to see the cupcake when he came home from school... and the first thing he did was to pop the Gems into his mouth. 
Thank you Amrita-Vishal for this amazing recipe.. it was soft, it was rich, it was decadent....it indeed turned out perfect. Soh and the rest of my family absolutely loved the cupcakes!
Do check out their site. You will be absolutely amazed!