I can't believe I have so many cake recipes on this blog but not one for an actual frosted chocolate cake! This is one of the best chocolate cakes I've made- almost as good as lana cake's- with a super moist and fluffy cake interior and delicious thick, fudgy, goey, salted dark chocolate ganache. Good quality dark chocolate is really the key here, if you want a decadent chocolatey frosting, and I recommend anything about 50/60%, or something that suits your taste! I used a really good 70% dark cocoa for this one, complete with a generous sprinkle of fleur de sel.

I have to say I always tend to crave chocolate cakes- whenever I'm feeling down or moody I always feel like having some chocolate- like a really good chocolate bar or chocolate cookies or molten lava cake or deep dark chocolate cake. Like the chocolate has to be intense you know- it's a different kind of craving from a peanut butter and banana sandwich, though that will really benefit from a sprinkling of melty dark chocolate chips. Chocolate cake is one of my soul foods- and it's something I really cannot live without! Research shows that chocolate contains endorphins that make you feel better- but honestly I'll take any excuse to have my chocolate, whether good for me or not. 

I guess my food cravings has got something to do with my state of mind recently- I'm someone who eats when I'm stressed, and I take comfort in cookies after school: speculoos cookies dunked into a jar of crunchy peanut butter and a small packet of Danish butter cookies. Perhaps I'm tired- tired of working so hard everyday doing something I'm not quite passionate about, tired of stressing up over schoolwork and tests, tired of caring about my achievements and grades, tired of trying to please and impress other people, even as I find little satisfaction and liveliness in school days. Weekends are a little more productive though- with time spent with friends, family, baking, reading, and doing meaningful things. Taking a real break and really forgetting about all the midweek problems, and enjoying my time. Sometimes I do find it really difficult to take a break during school days- while I want to rest and all, I feel so guilty about not doing all I can and putting in my best effort for everything I do. It's a little difficult to really stop myself and know when enough is enough. I guess that needs a little practice- but I know that if I push myself too much right know I will only burst in time to come. 

So I'm going to take comfort in chocolate (who cares about calories) and all those things with chocolate in it, and really take time to enjoy these little things. 

180g butter/ vegetable oil 

150g sugar 

200g evaporated milk 

1/2 tsp vanilla 

2 eggs 

100g low protein flour 

50g cocoa powder 

1 tsp baking powder 

1/2 tsp baking soda 

Combine butter/oil, sugar and evaporated milk in a small saucepan over low heat, till melted. Mix in the eggs and vanilla, sift in the dry ingedients. 

Steam in a 7 or 8 inch round pan that has been greased and lined with parchment at the base, tops covered with aluminium foil, for 45 min.

100g chopped dark chocolate 

100g whipping cream 

Generous pinch of fleur de sel

Heat the whipping cream in a small saucepan till it just almosts boils. Pour over the chopped chocolate, leave to sit for 5-10 min before stirring together and adding a pinch of salt. Let cool before frosting the cake.