Balsamic Vinegar Chocolate Cake
Serve this cake after a light meal. It is also excellent with morning coffee or afternoon tea.
1 tsp Butter
100g Cocoa
350g Plain Flour
2 tsp Baking Powder
1/4 tsp Salt
350g Castor Sugar
300ml warm Water
250ml Olive Oil
2 tbls Balsamic Vinegar
1 tbl White Wine Vinegar
4 large ripe Figs (optional)
Icing Sugar, for dusting
Marscarpone (optional)
1. Grease a 24cm/10inch loose-bottomed, deep spring clip
cake tin with the Butter. Dust well with a little of the Cocoa until coated
all over. Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4.
2. Sieve the remaining Cocoa, the Flour, Baking powder and Salt into a mixing
bowl. Add the Castor Sugar and stir well.
3. Mix the warm water and Olive Oil together in a measuring jug. Whisk the liquid,
pour in a steady stream into the dry ingredients to make a dense, dark batter.
Now stir in both of the Vinegars, beat thoroughly.
4. DO NOT DELAY AT THIS STAGE. Pour the the cake batter into the prepared tin.
Bake for 30 - 40 minutes. The edges need to be firm with the centre still damp.
Turn off the oven. Leave the cake in the oven for a further 10 minutes.
5. Take the cake out of the oven and leave to stand in the tin for a further
30 minutes. Then remove. Add the quartered Figs to the top and dust with icing
sugar. Serve with a spoonful of Marscarpone.