This chocolate drizzle cake is something special. It starts with a perfectly tender chocolate sponge, taken to new heights when drenched with a smooth, rich chocolate syrup that sinks irresistibly through the crumb.
You've probably had lemon drizzle cake or perhaps even the lime or orange versions. Well, this chocolate version works on the same basic principle that is: cake is good, but cake drenched in syrup is better.
Making this chocolate drizzle cake is surprisingly easy with just a handful of steps. It starts with sugar, golden syrup, oil and butter, whisked together until light. In goes eggs, followed by flour and cocoa powder, and your batter is ready to bake!
And the chocolate drizzle? That's made by gently heating sugar, cocoa powder, golden syrup and water in a pan until it forms a thick chocolate syrup. Then, while the cake is still warm, you'll poke holes all over it and drown it in the hot, rich chocolate syrup. Leave it to cool and you'll be ready to experience a taste of heaven.
Despite the generous application of syrup, this chocolate drizzle cake isn't wet or mushy, it's tender, rich and moist.
Ready to try the recipe for yourself? Here's it is, complete with plenty of step-by-step pics.
Ingredients
For the sponge
- 100 g (7 tbsp) slightly salted butter
- 75 g (⅓ cup) vegetable oil (canola oil)
- 150 g (¾ cup + 1 tbsp) white caster sugar (superfine sugar)
- 50 g (2 tbsp + 1 tsp) golden syrup US use corn syrup
- 125 ml (½ cup) whole milk
- 3 medium free-range eggs
- 200 g (1½ cups) self-raising white flour (self rising flour)
- 40 g (⅓ cup) cocoa powder (dutch processed)
For the syrup
- 100 g (½ cup) white caster sugar (superfine sugar)
- 40 g (⅓ cup) cocoa powder (dutch processed)
- 50 g (2 tbsp + 1 tsp) golden syrup US use corn syrup
- 100 ml (⅓ cup + 1 tbsp) water
Instructions
Make the cake
Grease and line a 20cm loose-bottomed cake tin.
Preheat the oven to 180C (160C fan-assisted).
Put the caster sugar, golden syrup, oil and softened butter in a large mixing bowl.
Beat them with an electric mixer or by hand until creamy.
Add the milk.
Beat again.
Crack the eggs into the bowl.
Whisk again.
Sift in the flour and cocoa powder.
Fold everything together. It's fine if it's a little lumpy.
Pour the batter into your lined cake tin and level off.
Bake in the centre of the oven for about 35-40 minutes or until risen and firm. A skewer pushed into the centre of the cake should come out clean.
Once fully cooked, transfer your cake to a wire rack to cool in the tin for 10 minutes.
Make the syrup
While the cake cools, make the syrup.
Put the sugar into a small a pan and sift in the cocoa powder, discarding any lumps left in the sieve. Add the water and golden syrup.
Place the pan over a low heat and gently dissolve the mixture, stirring gently to help the heat spread evenly, but avoiding flicking the mixture up the sides of the pan.
When all of the sugar has dissolved, bring the syrup up to a boil for 1 minutes.
Take the pan off the heat and set aside at the back of the stove to cool a little while the cake rests.
Complete the cake
Poke all over with a skewer, going about 3/4 deep.
Pour the syrup over the cake slowly, a little at a time to allow it to sink in.
Leave to cool completely in the tin. Lift from the tin and peel the paper away. Transfer to a serving platter.
Enjoy!
It's incredible served with extra chocolate syrup, if you want a really chocolatey hit.
Pointers, tricks and troubleshooting tips for the perfect Chocolate drizzle cake
Is Chocolate drizzle cake easy to make?
Yes! This super simple drizzle cake recipe is split into three phases, so it breaks down each job into easy steps.
You’ve probably made a sponge cake before, so the only potentially unfamiliar part of this recipe is the syrup. But don’t worry, because the syrup is just a mix of melted sugar, golden syrup and cocoa.
I’ve included step by step instructions above and clear photos of the recipe, so if you get lost at any point you can always just refer back to the pictures.
Will I need any special equipment to make Chocolate drizzle cake?
No, this recipe is pretty straightforward, so you’ll probably have all of the equipment at home. To make your cake batter you’ll need some measuring spoons and weighing scales, a bowl, a sieve and a whisk or stand mixer. To bake the cake you’ll need a 20cm (8 inch) loose bottom cake tin, some baking paper and a wire cooling rack.
If you’re unsure, there’s a full list of suggested equipment on the recipe card below. The list includes links to example products, so you can see exactly what you’ll need.
What is Dutch processed cocoa powder?
In Europe, most cocoa powder is treated with a solution to neutralise the natural acidity in cocoa. Cocoa powder that has undergone this process is referred to as ‘Dutch processed cocoa powder’.
The acidity in ingredients will have an impact on how they interact with other ingredients (especially dairy), so it’s important that you use this type of cocoa powder. If you use a cocoa powder with a different acidity it may react in a different way than the cocoa powder this recipe is designed for.
In the US, natural, untreated cocoa is the most common variety of cocoa powder. So if you’re abroad, try and find some Dutch pressed or ‘European style’ cocoa powder from Amazon.
How can I tell if eggs have gone off?
The general food safety advice worldwide is to only use fresh eggs in cooking and store eggs in the fridge because bacteria like salmonella can thrive in eggs. So if you use old eggs or eggs kept outside of the refrigerator, they might be unsafe to eat.
While eggs are stored on the ambient aisle in UK supermarkets, you should keep them in the refrigerator at home. This is because supermarkets have industrial air conditioners to maintain a consistent and safe temperature. Whereas your kitchen temperature will fluctuate when you cook or turn on the central heating in your home. This is why you'll typically find eggs in refrigerated sections in the US or warmer countries.
Eggs' food safety dates are calculated with the storage temperature in mind, meaning it's essential to store them as the packet states. So if your eggs say 'refrigerate' and you've left them on the counter for a couple of weeks, their Use By date might be shorter.
There are two food safety dates on food products in the UK, the 'Best Before End' and 'Use By' dates, but food only has an 'Expiration Date' in the US.
Best Before / Expiration dates are more about eating the food before the quality declines, whereas a Use By date tells you when food is no longer safe to eat.
Generally, it's best to use your eggs before the 'Best Before End' date, as even if the eggs are safe to eat, the quality can decline over time. This is because as eggs get older, water evaporates and escapes through the shell — this loss of water results in thicker egg whites and a different ratio of protein to water. So if you use old eggs, it may affect the way they behave in the cake batter and produce unreliable results.
If you aren't sure whether your eggs are safe to eat, there's a test called 'the float test' that can indicate whether your eggs are fresh or old before you crack them open. As the name suggests, you place your egg in a cup or bowl of water to see if it sinks or floats.
Fresh eggs will sink to the bottom of the water as they have very little air within them. Older eggs will float because eggs gradually lose water content and absorb air through their shells. However, this test isn't foolproof because sometimes spoiled eggs can still sink.
If your egg looks, smells, feels or tastes odd in any way, even if it's in date, don't risk it. It's never worth the risk of salmonella or food poisoning.
Food safety is crucial if you're cooking for an older person, a pregnant person or someone living with an underlying health condition. If you're unsure, always check the health or food safety guidelines wherever you live.
A Mummy Too does not offer medical advice. Please seek help from a medical professional if you need further information or have any concerns. The NHS has more UK-specific advice on eating eggs safely.
A Mummy Too does not offer medical advice. Please seek help from a medical professional if you need further information or have any concerns.
How can I tell if butter has gone off?
Butter is a perfect breeding ground for bacteria and germs because it contains fats, water and proteins. So you should always store butter in the fridge and in an airtight container to protect it from spoilage.
You can usually tell if your butter is off by looking at it. Old butter, which has started to spoil, will turn darker and may even have translucent areas where the fat and liquid contents have separated. Or if it’s really old, it will have mould growing on the surface. Off butter often has a sour smell, similar to old milk.
However, sometimes old butter might look and smell completely normal, but it will have a tangy, sour taste. So if you’re using some older butter, have a little taste before you add it to the mixing bowl.
How can I tell if milk has gone off?
Bacteria thrive in warmer temperatures, so because of this, milk can spoil very quickly. For example, if your central heating is on or it's summertime, your milk can spoil even if it's only been out of the fridge for a few hours. While many sources state that cooking with spoiled milk isn't dangerous, drinking uncooked spoiled dairy milk will most likely make you sick.
When milk begins to spoil, it can develop a sour smell, change colour and change texture. These changes happen because bacteria releases an enzyme to break down the milk proteins and fat. This process produces lactic acid, which gives spoiled milk that tangy, sour smell and causes old milk to split or get chunky.
In the UK, milk sold in supermarkets is pasteurised, which means it is heated soon after being collected from cows to kill off germs and bacteria. However, some smaller dairy producers sell raw milk, which isn't pasteurised. So if you live in a more rural area, make sure that you always check the label of your milk to ensure it's pasteurised.
Unpasteurised dairy is more likely to contain bacteria like listeria or E Coli. So you should make sure that you use pasteurised milk for this recipe, as listeria especially can be dangerous for pregnant people.
Is Chocolate drizzle cake suitable for vegetarians?
Yes, this recipe contains no meat, fish or poultry, so it’s completely fine for vegetarians.
If you’re serving your chocolate drizzle cake with any sauces or you’re decorating your cake, make sure to check the labels of the other ingredients. This is because candy or sweet sauces can contain gelatin or other animal-derived products which aren’t suitable for vegetarians.
Is Chocolate drizzle cake suitable for vegans?
No, this cake contains eggs and dairy so this isn’t suitable for a vegan diet. Luckily, it’s super easy to convert this to a vegan recipe!
Dairy:
First, you’ll need to substitute butter and milk with non-dairy alternatives. This is easy, as there is plenty of non-dairy milk and butter, available in most supermarkets worldwide, which have been designed to behave in the same way as milk during cooking. You can use these non-dairy alternatives to butter and milk in the same quantities as dairy butter and milk.
For the butter, it’s best to use vegan butter with a similar fat content (around 80%) to dairy butter. Butter is a combination of fat, water and milk proteins, so if you have a vegan butter with a similar balance of fat, water and protein then it will melt, mix and react with the other ingredients in a similar way to dairy butter.
As I said, there are plenty of brands offering vegan alternatives to butter, with many available in supermarkets. You can usually find vegan butter with other dairy alternatives in the refrigerated aisles of supermarkets. Flora, Violife and Naturli are widely available in the UK.
For a milk replacement, you have plenty of options. The most common types of vegan milk are made from Soy, Oat, Almond, Rice, Cashew or Coconut, and you can usually find several options in the refrigerated section of a supermarket or long-life versions on the long-life milk aisle.
When using vegan milk you should watch out for any additional sweeteners or gluten in the ingredients list. Some brands contain minimal ingredients (Minor Figures is a good example), but other brands like Alpro can contain a lot more ingredients, like stabilisers and emulsifiers or ingredients containing allergens like gluten. So make sure you pay attention to the label, especially if you’re making this for someone with other dietary restrictions or intolerances.
If you can’t find any dairy alternative products store, don’t panic! You can often order vegan butter, milk and other non-dairy products from online health food retailers like Amazon, Whole Foods or Planet Organic.
Eggs:
The only other non-vegan ingredient in this recipe is egg. There are a few store-bought or homemade alternatives to egg that are super quick and easy to prepare.
If you want to use a store-bought method, then you will need to look for an ‘egg replacer’. Egg replacers usually come in a powdered form but sometimes come premixed with water. You’ll find them on the baking aisle, or the ‘Free From’ section in a supermarket. If you can’t find them in-store you can always buy one from an online vegan store like The Vegan Kind or from Amazon.
Or you can use one of the below methods for a homemade egg replacement. Each method below is equal to 1 egg, so you should multiply as appropriate to match the recipe:
- 1 tablespoon of crushed chia or flax seeds mixed with 2 tablespoons of water and left for 10 minutes in the fridge.
- 3 tablespoons of aquafaba.
- 3 tablespoons of applesauce.
- Half of a medium-sized banana, very well mashed. It’s best to use fairly ripe bananas for this as they will mash more easily and bind your ingredients together more effectively.
If you’re making this recipe for someone who is vegan, make sure to check the ingredients for anything else you want to serve with your cake. Sometimes sauces or candies can contain animal-derived ingredients like gelatine, so it’s never worth taking the risk!
Is Chocolate drizzle cake gluten-free?
No, this cake contains wheat flour so it isn’t gluten-free. However, it should be super easy to adapt this for a gluten-free diet with one ingredient swap!
I haven't tried making this recipe with gluten-free flour yet, but there are plenty of great gluten-free baking products that would probably work really well.
I usually recommend using a gluten-free baking flour with a blend of different flours like rice or oat mixed with a binding agent like xanthan gum which helps give your cake a good texture. Don't forget to make sure your gluten-free flour includes a raising agent, or you add a gluten-free baking powder to the mix if not.
If you use gluten-free flour, the cooking time and temperature will be the same as the recipe below. Though you should consult your packet too, as the brand might have guidelines for making a cake with their particular type of gluten-free flour.
When cooking for someone with intolerances or allergies, it's especially important to double-check all of your ingredient labels to check that they are suitable for people who don't eat gluten.
Also, don't forget to check anything extra like sauces or sides you want to serve with your chocolate drizzle cake, as gluten can sneak into the most unexpected products!
A Mummy Too does not offer medical advice. Please seek help from a medical professional if you need further information or have any concerns.
Is Chocolate drizzle cake keto-friendly?
No, this recipe contains a lot of sugar and carbohydrates so it isn’t keto-friendly. Unfortunately, a cake isn’t the best recipe to adapt for a ketogenic diet as one slice will usually take you over your daily 20g carb allowance.
Is Chocolate drizzle cake healthy?
This recipe contains a fair amount of sugar and fat, so it’s not the healthiest treat. However, a treat is always fine to enjoy as part of a balanced diet. So there’s no shame in indulging yourself occasionally!
A Mummy Too does not offer medical advice. Please seek help from a medical professional if you need further information or have any concerns.
Is Chocolate drizzle cake safe to eat while pregnant?
According to UK guidelines, nothing in this recipe should present a risk to a pregnant person. So as long as you make sure that all of your ingredients are fresh and in good condition and you prepare them safely and hygienically, it should be safe to eat.
Most dairy in the UK is pasteurised. However, it's always best to check if you're unsure, as pregnant people should not eat unpasteurised dairy because there’s a risk of contracting Listeriosis. The NHS website has some really clear and helpful information on food safety and pregnancy.
Dairy safety regulations can vary by country, so you should consult your local guidelines or a medical professional if you're unsure.
Egg safety advice varies depending on where you live, as production and storage methods differ in different countries, so please check information locally. In the UK, at the time of writing (December 2021), The Advisory Committee on the Microbiological Safety of Food advises that eggs with the British Lion mark of quality are safe for pregnant people to eat runny or even raw!
So as long as you use eggs with British Lion approval or your country’s equivalent, this recipe will be fine to eat.
The NHS advises that pregnant people watch their sugar intake, as there’s a risk of developing gestational diabetes. So enjoying this cake in moderation is important for anyone, but especially when pregnant.
Make sure that all of your ingredients are in good condition and this meal is prepared safely and hygienically.
A Mummy Too does not offer medical advice. Please seek help from a medical professional if you need further information or have any concerns.
What goes well with Chocolate drizzle cake?
This drizzle cake should be moist enough to serve on its own, but if you like you could serve it with anything that would go well with chocolate cake. Ice cream or cream is always a classic with cake and would work especially well with a warm drizzle cake fresh from the oven.
Can I add extra chocolate to this recipe?
Despite the name, this recipe doesn’t contain any actual chocolate, only cocoa powder. So if you want to make this recipe even more chocolatey, feel free!
While I haven’t tried it, you could add a handful of chocolate chips to the cake batter without the cooking time being affected too much.
How should I store Chocolate drizzle cake?
This cake has no frosting or buttercream, so it should be safe to store it in an airtight container in a cupboard.
How long will Chocolate drizzle cake keep?
Your Chocolate drizzle cake has no uncooked butter in the icing, so it can be kept in the cupboard. If you store it in an airtight container in a cool place out of direct sunlight, your Chocolate drizzle cake will keep well for 3-4 days.
Can I leave Chocolate drizzle cake out on the counter?
You can store your Chocolate drizzle cake on the counter, as long as you keep it in an airtight container.
While it won’t go stale as quickly as a sponge cake, if you leave your drizzle cake out on the counter with no covering you'll probably end up with a load of flies stuck to it by the next morning!
Can I make Chocolate drizzle cake ahead?
Yes, you can make your Chocolate drizzle cake ahead and it will keep for 3 days in the cupboard, but it’s going to be at its best if it’s freshly made.
If you want to get super organised you could make your cake and freeze it, undrizzled, for up to 3 months ahead. Then all you have to do is defrost it and make the drizzle.
Can I keep Chocolate drizzle cake in the refrigerator?
You can keep your drizzle cake in the fridge if you like, but it will be fine in an airtight container in the cupboard or in a dark corner of your kitchen counter.
Can I freeze Chocolate drizzle cake?
Yes. I think freezing the sponge before you pour the drizzle over it will be the best way to freeze your cake. Then all you’ll need to do is defrost it in the fridge overnight and then make the drizzle and pour it over the cake. Your cake should last up to 3 months in an airtight container in the freezer.
I haven’t frozen the cake with the drizzle, or frozen the drizzle mixture on it’s own, but I don’t think it would defrost very well as the sugar might crystallise and change the texture of the cake. Or if you freeze the drizzle mixture on its own, it might need heating up so it can be drizzled over the cake.
What is the best way to defrost Chocolate drizzle cake?
The best way to defrost most food is to take it out of the freezer and leave it in the fridge overnight. As this cake contains no uncooked dairy, you can also defrost it on the counter in a sealed container. It will probably take around 4 hours to defrost on the counter.
Can I make Chocolate drizzle cake in a different size?
Yes, if you want to make a smaller or larger cake, go ahead! Luckily I have a really helpful tool that works out the ingredient amounts for you without changing the ratio.
If you scroll down to the recipe card below, you'll see the servings near the top. To change this to the number you want to make just click on it and a little slider will pop up. You can move the slider up or down to get the amount you want to make.
All the ingredient quantities will update automatically for you so that everything is in the right ratios.
When it comes to cooking time, if you make a smaller cake you could try reducing the cooking time by 10 minutes and drop the temperature by 10C.
I haven’t tried cooking a smaller version of this cake, so you’ll need to keep monitoring your cake to make sure it doesn’t burn or undercook. The best way to do this is to do a skewer test.
This involves poking your cake with a skewer to check it’s cooked all the way through.
If the skewer (or knife, fork, whatever thin utensil you have to hand) comes out with wet cake batter, it isn’t cooked yet. If it isn’t ready yet, put it back into the oven for another 5 minutes and then test it again. Repeat this process until your cake is cooked all the way through to the centre.
Can I make Chocolate drizzle cake in individual portions?
Yes, this recipe would work really well in individual portions, as the drizzle would really soak mini versions of the cake. It’s probably best to cook the mini drizzle cakes in ramekins.
You can just divide the cake mix into individual portions according to how many slices the recipe makes (i.e. a cake batter for an 8 slice cake would make 8 individual cake portions).
Or if you only want to make a couple of cakes, you can use the servings size tool to adjust the serving size.
Can I make Chocolate drizzle cake in a different shape?
I haven’t tested this recipe in a different shape, but feel free to try it! In the comments underneath this lemon drizzle cake recipe, some readers mention that they cooked their cakes in loaf tins (180C for 35 minutes), this recipe is similar so perhaps you could start from there.
If you cook your Chocolate drizzle cake in a novelty shaped cake tin with an uneven shape you should take care that any smaller edges don’t cook and burn before the centre has a chance to cook through.
When experimenting with cooking times, a skewer test is your best friend. Give your cake a poke with a skewer to check it’s cooked all the way through, and if it isn’t, cook it for another 5 minutes and repeat.
Can I make Chocolate drizzle cake in a stand mixer such as a KitchenAid or Kenwood Mixer?
Yes, a stand mixer would be ideal for whisking the sugar and wet ingredients together. However, you’ll need to fold in the flour gently with a spatula, so you don’t knock the air out of the cake batter.
Can I make Chocolate drizzle cake with a food processor?
No, a food processor would be too powerful to mix your cake batter. A stand mixer or mixing by hand will be the best method for this recipe. If you use a food processor you will most likely knock the air bubbles, formed by the raising agent, out of the cake batter.
How can I make sure my Chocolate drizzle cake turns out perfectly?
My top tip for making sure your Chocolate drizzle cake turns out perfectly is pretty simple: make sure that you read the recipe before you start cooking!
If you read all of the steps before you begin, you'll know what to expect and what equipment you'll need to have nearby.
Prepare
It's also a good idea to get all of your equipment out and measure your ingredients before you begin. Preparing everything like this will ensure that you're ready to work through the steps without any issues or delays.
Preheat
Preheating your oven is vital to getting a perfectly risen sponge cake. So before you start mixing your cake batter, you need to make sure that you turn your oven on to preheat.
Never put your cake batter into the oven before it has reached the right temperature. If you put cake batter in an oven that isn't hot enough, it can leave you with a flat cake. This is because the raising agents in your cake batter need enough heat to activate fully, and your batter needs enough heat to let its air bubbles expand and set.
Follow the steps
While there are methods like the 'quick-dump' or 'one-bowl' method, if a recipe tells you to add and mix ingredients in a particular order, it's usually for a good reason.
So it's essential to make sure that you add the ingredients in the same order as the recipe states and pay attention to whisk and fold. For example, whisking and overmixing your flour instead of folding it can make tough and dense cakes. Or adding the raising agents too soon can cause you to beat the air out of the mixture as they activate.
Picture perfect
You'll be able to tell if your cake batter is the right consistency by looking at the photos with the recipe steps above. So it's a good idea to check the pictures as you work your way through each step, as this will help reduce the chance of any mistakes.
Final check
Once your cake has come out of the oven, it should be light and springy. If you give it a gentle poke, it should feel firm and retain its shape without being too dense.
If it looks ok, you can do a skewer test to check your cake cooked through to the centre. A skewer test is where you poke a skewer or thin knife into the centre of the cake. If the cake is cooked through, the skewer will come out clean or with a few little crumbs of cooked cake. If it isn't cooked, the skewer will come out covered with wet batter. If it isn't cooked, just return it to the oven for 5 more minutes and then test it again. Repeat the process until it's cooked through.
When you make the drizzle mixture, you should start by heating your ingredients on a low heat to dissolve the mixture gently. Then, stir it gently to help the heat spread evenly, but avoid flicking the mix up the sides of the pan, or you'll end up with little bits of burnt sugar. You shouldn't leave your drizzle mix unattended because sugar can burn very quickly. So make sure you give it your undivided attention!
Why did my Chocolate drizzle cake turn out dry?
If your Chocolate drizzle cake turns out dry before you add your drizzle, then it sounds like it has been overcooked.
Depending on how overcooked it is, the cake could be saved by pouring the drizzle over it. Make sure to poke some holes throughout the cake to ensure your cake soaks up all that moisture. However, if it’s really overcooked and hard, no amount of drizzle will be able to bring it back.
If you cooked your cake for the right amount of time and at the right temperature and it still turned out overcooked, then it sounds like your oven might be running too hot.
Home oven temperatures can really vary and the temperature dials can be very inaccurate. This is why investing in an oven thermometer is a good idea. I’ve spoken to so many people who move house and can’t get on with their new oven until they get an oven thermometer.
An oven thermometer is a heatproof thermometer that you can place in your oven (usually it hangs from the oven shelf). The oven thermometer will show you the actual temperature of your oven and also lets you know if your oven temperature is consistent throughout cooking.
Oven thermometers are usually available in department stores (like John Lewis), but you can also find them on Amazon. They’re relatively inexpensive and usually cost no more than £10 in the UK.
Why did my Chocolate drizzle cake turn out wet/soft/dense?
Your Chocolate drizzle cake should be beautifully moist but the sponge should still be quite light. So if your cake has turned out very wet and dense (and you used the correct amount of drizzle), then your cake is probably undercooked.
As I said above, oven temperatures can wildly vary from the temperature dial, so if you find your bakes are often undercooked it could be worth investing in an oven thermometer.
Luckily it’s fairly easy to fix an undercooked cake! You just need to cook it for a little longer. Try putting it back in the oven for another 10 minutes and then poke a skewer into the centre. If the skewer comes out clean then the cake is cooked, if it comes out with any wet cake batter then you’ll know it isn’t cooked through yet.
Why didn’t my Chocolate drizzle cake rise?
This recipe is designed to produce a moist yet light sponge that rises into a gently sloping dome that can absorb the chocolate drizzle syrup.
So if your cake seems flat and dense, something has gone wrong. A few points in the recipe could cause your cake not to rise. So I'll go through them point by point here:
Old self-raising flour
Self-raising flour contains raising agents which have a chemical reaction when mixed with water and create tiny air bubbles in your cake batter. These air bubbles are what makes your cake rise and cook properly. So it's essential that the raising agents are active in your self-raising flour.
The raising agents in self-raising flour can remain active for years if stored correctly, but sometimes if the flour is old or stored incorrectly, it can lose its potency.
So it's always best to use fresh flour or recently opened flour, so you know that it will behave reliably. If you can't get any new flour, you could try adding a tsp of extra baking powder to your mix instead.
Of course, adding baking powder like this will vary from recipe to recipe, and depending on whether your flour gives a little bit of a rise too, so you'll have to experiment.
Over-mixing the batter
Once you've added the flour to the batter, you should only gently fold it in by hand with a spatula or spoon.
Whisking or overmixing the cake batter can knock the air out of your batter and make the final cake tough, leading to a flat, dense cake.
Overmixing your batter can also cause the gluten in the flour to activate. Activating gluten is essential for baking bread, which is why you have to knead bread dough for so long (to encourage the gluten to form glue-like bonds within the dough).
However, when it comes to cakes, you want the opposite result, as you want a light, fluffy cake and not a chewy, tough cake. So make sure that you switch to mixing by hand once you've added the flour to the batter.
Why did my Chocolate drizzle cake sink in the middle?
If your cake collapses in the middle then it could be down to a few issues with either the batter or the oven.
Old flour
First, as with above, to avoid your cake sinking in the middle, you’ll need to make sure your flour is fresh or in date. If your self-raising flour is old or hasn't been stored correctly it may have lost some of its potency, meaning your cake will not rise as much as it otherwise would.
Overmixing
Overmixing is another reason that a cake sinks in the middle. So take care not to beat too much air into the cake, as it can rise too fast and then collapse onto itself.
Cake tin
Once you’ve mixed the cake batter, make sure you use the correct size tin for the recipe. If you use a tin that is more narrow and deep, the cake mix will be too deep to cook all the way through and won’t hold its structure properly.
Oven too hot:
Your oven may be running hotter than the dial suggests, meaning the cake rose too fast to support its own weight.
Opening the oven too soon
If you open the oven door too soon after putting your cake in the oven, it can cause the cake to stop rising or even collapse in the centre.
So why does opening the oven door make a cake collapse? Well, the raising agents in your cake batter react and begin to create air bubbles. These air bubbles will heat up and expand, which causes your cake to rise and, once fully baked, give the cake its crumb texture.
If you open the oven before these air bubbles have a chance to set the cake batter properly, the heat will leave the cake, and the bubbles will collapse as the batter won't be strong enough to hold its structure.
If you open your oven and see the cake sink a little, you should close your oven door as soon as possible. Your cake might recover a little, but unfortunately, it's unlikely to rise as well as it would have.
Banging the oven door
Equally, banging the oven door can have a similar effect. The door's slam can pop the air bubbles inside the cake and cause it to collapse. So be gentle with the door when you open and close it.
Why did my chocolate drizzle turn out very loose/ thin?
If your drizzle has turned out very thin then it’s probably because it has too much water. It will be difficult to bring back a drizzle that is too wet, as you’ll have to boil it off for ages and risk burning it, or add a lot of sugar and cocoa and end up with something too sweet or thick.
So, if you have some sugar and golden syrup leftover then you could try making it again. Before you make the drizzle you should measure out the correct amount of ingredients - including water. If you have everything in the correct quantities in front of you, there’s less chance of mistakes like adding too much water straight from the tap etc.
How can I add/change the flavours in Chocolate drizzle cake?
If you want to change the flavours in this Chocolate drizzle cake there are a few ways to tweak the recipe. First, you could go for a classic combination of chocolate and orange, by adding the zest of half an orange or some orange blossom water to the cake batter. Or you could add orange juice/ zest to the drizzle mix.
Alternatively, if you want a completely different flavour of drizzle cake, why don’t you try making my Orange drizzle cake or this amazing Lemon drizzle cake recipe?
Who invented drizzle cake?
While there have been recipes for hundreds of years for cakes with syrup poured over the top, the first known version of a drizzle cake recipe as we know it today seems to have been published in the Jewish Chronicle in the UK in 1967.
The 1967 recipe, by a woman called Evelyn Rose, was a Lemon drizzle cake called “Luscious Lemon Cake”. It makes sense that drizzle cake seems to have emerged from the UK, as according to a poll it’s the nation’s favourite cake!
Over the years other variations of drizzle cake have been created, including citrus-like Orange drizzle cake, Lime drizzle cake or there’s even a festive Clementine drizzle cake recipe!
Print this chocolate drizzle cake recipe
Chocolate Drizzle Cake Recipe
Ingredients
For the sponge
- 100 g (7 tbsp) slightly salted butter
- 75 g (⅓ cup) vegetable oil (canola oil)
- 150 g (¾ cup + 1 tbsp) white caster sugar (superfine sugar)
- 50 g (2 tbsp + 1 tsp) golden syrup US use corn syrup
- 125 ml (½ cup) whole milk
- 3 medium free-range eggs
- 200 g (1½ cups) self-raising white flour (self rising flour)
- 40 g (⅓ cup) cocoa powder (dutch processed)
For the syrup
- 100 g (½ cup) white caster sugar (superfine sugar)
- 40 g (⅓ cup) cocoa powder (dutch processed)
- 50 g (2 tbsp + 1 tsp) golden syrup US use corn syrup
- 100 ml (⅓ cup + 1 tbsp) water
Instructions
Make the cake
- Grease and line your cake tin.
- Preheat the oven to 180C (160C fan-assisted / 350F).
- Put the caster sugar, golden syrup, oil and softened butter in a large mixing bowl. Beat with an electric mixer or by hand until creamy.
- Whisk in the milk, then the eggs.
- Sift in the flour and cocoa powder. Fold everything together. It's fine if it's a little lumpy.
- Pour the batter into your lined cake tin and level off.
- Bake in the centre of the oven for about 35-40 minutes or until risen and firm. A skewer pushed into the centre of the cake should come out clean.
- Once fully cooked, transfer your cake to a wire rack to cool in the tin for 10 minutes.
Make the syrup
- While the cake cools, make the syrup. Put the sugar into a small a pan and sift in the cocoa powder, discarding any lumps left in the sieve. Add the water and golden syrup.
- Place the pan over a low heat and gently dissolve the mixture, stirring gently to help the heat spread evenly, but avoiding flicking the mixture up the sides of the pan.
- When all of the sugar has dissolved, bring the syrup up to a boil for 1 minutes.
- Take the pan off the heat and set aside at the back of the stove to cool a little while the cake rests.
Complete the cake
- Poke all over with a skewer, going about 3/4 deep.
- Pour the syrup over the cake slowly, a little at a time to allow it to sink in.
- Leave to cool completely in the tin.
- Lift the cake out of the tin using the baking paper. Peel the paper away.
- Transfer to a serving platter. Slice and enjoy!
Video
Notes
Nutrition
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