Chocolate Cake recipes

The origins of cakes can be traced back to over 2000 years ago and some of the earliest cakes were made combining flour, eggs, honey, nuts and milk.  The chocolate cake was born in 1764 when Dr. James Baker discovered how to make chocolate by grinding coco beans between two large millstones.Due to its expense, chocolate was initially considered a luxury snack but since Conrad Van Houton developed the method for making cacao butter, the product was sold as rock cacao or ground into powder, making it more accessible and one step closer to the chocolate recipes we enjoy today.Britain has a love affair with chocolate with the average Brit consuming 17.4 pounds per year. With this in mind it seems only natural that the popularity of chocolate cake recipes has soared since the eighties,but with so many to choose from how to decide, and how to make the perfect chocolate cake?Basic chocolate cake recipes contain eggs, butter, coco powder and cooking chocolate. The secret to the tastiest chocolate sponge cake lies in both the quality of the chocolate used and the type of fat. Dark chocolate with a high coco content is the best to use as the sweetness of the sugar will set off any bitterness. For a truly moist cake some American chocolate cake recipes are made with oil instead of butter which allows the cake to hold its moisture. Chocolate fudge cake recipes have added richness with their layer of chocolate fudge ganache filling, perfect for those with a sweet tooth. Chocolate brownie recipes and chocolate muffin recipes are perfect for introducing children to baking; both are simple recipes for young chocolate lovers.Deciding on a recipe for chocolate cake depends on the occasion. For a dinner party or formal occasion chocolate mousse cake or chocolate fondants make a luxurious dessert. Black chocolate gateau or black forest cake originates from Germany and is made using cherries. This was a popular choice for buffet desserts in the eighties but a home-baked gateau can add finesse to a party today. Chocolate birthday cake ideas range from the chocolate fudge cake to the chocolate layer cake. For ideas on easy chocolate cake recipes, be inspired by MyDish and find your own answer to baking the perfect chocolate cake.