A couple of years ago l found a beautifully dark, moist chocolate cake recipe on a Chelsea sugar package and made it. Delish, but a nasty after taste from the two teaspoons of baking soda. Grand daughter is coming to stay and wants to make a chocolate cake recipe she found in a Countdown letter box drop that looks almost identical to the one l made which still has two teaspoons of soda, but this time only one teaspoon of baking powder. The recipe also states Chelsea sugar to be used; direct copy? Hmm - l think so. Anyway, l am wondering if anyone has made a similar cake using two of baking powder to one of soda? Don't want GD's growing confidence dented by, (what she will see), as a failure if l can help it and making a dummy run is not really on. Suggestions? Advice? Experience shared? Thanks in advance, Peoples.

lonicera - 2019-04-17 14:00:00

I do not know what other ingredients are in the cake but if milk is in it why not substitute it with cultured butter milk? It basically neutralises the baking soda aftertaste. Well it does with my chocolate cake that uses:

1 tspn each baking soda and baking powder.

The baking soda aftertaste is one of the reasons I never, never use recipes with self-raising flour. No one else but me seems to notice but it totally wrecks anything that is made with it imo. Hence, which is why I use buttermilk to make scones as every recipe seems to call for S/R flour and when I've tried to using baking powder and non S/R flour it all just goes wrong.

buzzy110 - 2019-04-17 14:08:00

Thank you, Buzzy. i totally agree with the taste in SR flour! the recipe does have one tablespoon of lemon juice which l think l will double. Although we have both a New World and a Countdown where l live, neither run to buttermilk; far, far too exotic!
The ingredients are as follows: 1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice, 1 c milk, 1/2 c oil, 250g dark chocolate, broken or roughly chopped, 1 c strong black coffee, 2 c flour, 2 tsp b. soda, 1 tsp b. powder, 1 c white or raw sugar, 1/2 c cocoa, 2 eggs
The lemon juice is used to sour the milk so l use blue milk for cooking, rather than our usual green. In the previous recipe l also used dark cane sugar. Won't insult you by giving directions for the recipe! ;) It is a lovely moist and rich cake - just ruined by the over powering baking soda!
Thanks for your help.

lonicera - 2019-04-17 15:00:00

ionicera, below is a somewhat similar Chocolate Cake recipe, also with 2 tsp baking soda. This recipe was originally posted, I believe, by bams1, then reposted by styxchix. It was very popular here on the Recipes MB a number of years ago.

BIG MOIST CHOCOLATE CAKE (aka BLOODY GOOD CHOCOLATE CAKE)
2 cups sugar
2 eggs
200g butter, softened
1½ tsp vanilla
1 cup each of strong coffee and yoghurt (I use 1 pottle), any flavour
¾ cup cocoa
2 tsp baking soda
¼ tsp salt
3 cups self-raising flour (or 3 cups flour and 3 tsp baking powder – bams1)

In a large mixing bowl put all the ingredients, except the flour, and mix well, then add the flour. Beat for 2 minutes until well mixed. Pour into a large greased tin.
Bake at 160°C for 1 hour.
Notes:
I think the following is from styxchix and if not, my apologies to whoever did add this……”Delicious! I've always used the electric beaters as it's probably too big for a food processor. I've always been too lazy to do it by hand (actively avoid recipes which begin with cream butter and sugar!), but if you sifted the dry ingredients it might make it easier to get really smooth. I meant to add that this cake needs quite a large tin. I've always used a large metal dish, 15”x11”.”
kervil_ave added a note that it makes 2 round cakes or a roasting tray full.

Hope that helps. :-))

245sam - 2019-04-17 16:34:00

my 'best ever' chocolate cake has 2 tsp baking soda, and 2 tsp baking powder to 3 cups of flour, did you use level tsp of baking soda? and 125g flour as 1 cup?

articferrit - 2019-04-17 16:38:00

Personally I would only use 1 tsp baking soda in that recipe. I cannot see why 2 tsp is required.

malcovy - 2019-04-17 16:41:00

This one here has similar ingredients but no dark chocolate. I wonder if the dark chocolate also contributed to the bitterness. Did you use 70% chocolate because that would make it bitter and also adding half cup cocoa? The lemon juice added to milk does make buttermilk however I don't think the quantities of raising agent is wrong. I would use 50% choc or use nestle dark choc buttons in the recipe. The recipe below makes a beautiful moist cake.
Chocolate Cake
2 cups Sugar
1/2 cup Oil
2 Eggs
1 3/4 cups Flour
3/4 cup Cocoa
1 1/2 tsp Baking soda
1 1/2 tsp Baking powder
1 tsp Salt

1 cup Milk
2 tsp Vanilla essence

Procedure

1. Line a 22cm tin. Oven at 170c
2. Mix together sugar oil and egg. Sift in dry ingredients and add milk and vanilla and beat
3. Add 1 cup boiling water. Can add 2 tbs of instant coffee to water then add to cake.
4. Will be really runny, don't panic.
5. hour and half depending on your oven and size of tin you use. I use a deep 20cm tin however a 23cm tin will take an hour to bake.
6. Cool completely before eating. Best eaten the next day. Ice with chocolate icing.

Edited to say this recipe belongs to boatboy I think.

Edited by marcs at 7:12 pm, Wed 17 Apr

marcs - 2019-04-17 19:12:00

Thank you, everyone, for your responses, advice and shared recipes. We haven't made the cake yet, but will soon. Cheers.

lonicera - 2019-04-19 07:59:00

I always dissolve the BS in a little boiling milk to prevent the aftertaste- seems to work.

katalin2 - 2019-04-19 23:45:00