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Every chocoholic’s dream, the traditional chocolate cake is a delight all the way through. Chocolate sponge, frosting, and decorations, it’s a true indulgence.
Sophie Faldo, the winner of 2017’s Great British Bake Off, told Express.co.uk readers her tips for perfecting the cake.
She also recently advised Britons on how to make the perfect lemon drizzle cake.
Her expert advice includes not using chocolate in the sponge and buying a specific kind of chocolate.
“In my opinion, the best chocolate sponges just have cocoa, not chocolate,” Sophie told Express.co.uk.
“I save the chocolate for the frosting!”
Sophie, a former British Army Officer in the Royal Artillery, now runs her own boutique cake business, Sophie Faldo Couture Cakes.
The type of recipe you use is important to get that perfect texture to the cake.
Sophie said: “Find a recipe that uses oil and some dairy like milk or buttercream for a moist sponge with a great fluffy texture.”
One tip might surprise amateur bakers. It could be considered reasonable to think posh chocolate will result in a better, more flavoursome cake.
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Not so, according to Sophie. Cheaper chocolates can, in fact, be better.
Sophie said: “Don’t waste your money on expensive chocolates to put in cakes.
“You won’t be able to taste the difference once it’s mixed with other ingredients and baked.
“Expensive chocolates only use cocoa butter, but in fact, the extra oils in cheaper chocolates can actually result in better cakes.”
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The chocolate cakes date from the 1600s, when chocolate discovered in the Americas was infused into cakes, however, chocolate was only used in the icing and filling.
It was not until 1886 when American chefs added chocolate to cake batter the chocolate cake as we know it today came into existence.
Now, the cake is ubiquitous, a party favourite.
Sophie discussed her secret to perfecting a carrot cake.
The baking expert told fans the humble carrot cake is “probably (her) favorite cake”.
The key to getting a carrot cake perfect, she said, is making a very moist batter.
This is important to make sure carrots and cooked through, not left crunch and unpleasant.
Bake Off judge Paul Hollywood adds pecans to his carrot cake.
Nigella Lawson suggests drying off grated carrot in kitchen roll before putting it in the batter.
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