The woods have long been a realm of enchantment and intrigue. In folklore, they serve as the backdrop for lost children, witches crafting confectionery abodes, and magical transformations that unfold beneath the canopy of ancient trees. Yet, beyond their whimsical tales lies a serene world filled with life’s hidden wonders. This cake captures that enchanting essence: a moist chocolate base infused with rich cocoa and olive oil, adorned with a rosemary-infused ganache and garnished to reflect the textures of damp earth, fallen foliage, mossy patches, bark fragments, and fungi. It embodies Halloween baking in a way that leans more towards myth then fright. The goal is to conjure an enchanted forest—darkly lush yet slightly mysterious. Serve it simply alongside whipped cream.
enchanted Woodland Cake
Preparation 10 min
steeping 10 min
Baking 1 hr 15 min
Serves 10-12
Cocoa Cake Ingredients:
80ml unsalted butter, melted (plus extra for greasing)
200g all-purpose flour
75g unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp baking powder
½ tsp baking soda
¼ tsp fine sea salt
3 large eggs, at room temperature
150g granulated sugar
80g brown sugar
100ml olive oil
2 tsp vanilla extract
250ml plain unsweetened kefir drink
1 tsp instant coffee granules
The Rosemary Chocolate Ganache:
200ml heavy cream
2 large sprigs rosemary
200g dark chocolate , finely chopped.
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A pinch of flaky sea salt.
(Optional Forest Floor Decorations):
Cocoa nibs or crumbled brownies/cake scraps,
Chopped hazelnuts or finely diced pistachios,
Black sesame seeds,
Sprigs of rosemary,Chocolate shards , or chocolate-covered raisins,< br/>
Edible flowers,< br/>
Meringue mushrooms.
The first step is to preheat your oven to 190°C (170°C fan)/375°F/gas mark 5 while greasing and lining a baking tin measuring approximately 28cm x 23cm.
Sift together the flour,cocoa powder,baking powder,bicarbonate of soda,and salt into a spacious mixing bowl.
Create another mixture by whisking together the eggs with both types of sugar until slightly thickened; then incorporate the melted butter along with olive oil and vanilla extract. Mix thoroughly before adding in kefir until smooth. Combine this wet mixture into your dry ingredients using gentle whisking until just blended.
Dissolve coffee granules in 100ml hot water before incorporating it into your batter; mix gently until you achieve a smooth consistency (the batter will be quite liquid). Pour this mixture into your prepared tin for baking. Bake for about 30 minutes or until an inserted skewer comes out clean with only minimal crumbs attached. Allow it to cool completely within the tin before transferring it onto a cooling rack.
The next step involves preparing the ganache: gently heat cream along with rosemary in a small saucepan just until steaming; remove from heat afterward but let steep covered for about ten minutes before reheating again briefly without boiling it again. Place chopped chocolate in another bowl then strain hot cream over it discarding any leftover rosemary bits; stir continuously till you achieve smoothness followed by adding salt—set aside allowing cooling till spreadable consistency forms which can be applied over cooled cake surface later on!
Your decoration process begins by creating an earthy ‘soil’ layer: sprinkle cocoa nibs across its top providing crunchiness alongside woodsy bitterness while crumbling brownie pieces atop mimicking clods found on forest floors! Add chopped hazelnuts & finely diced pistachios resembling pebbles/gravel plus black sesame seeds offering speckled organic texture! To introduce liveliness & natural movement add botanical elements like sprigs representing pine trees/miniature forests along edible flowers/micro herbs symbolizing blooms emerging from mossy undergrowth! For structural appeal break up some chocolate shards irregularly pressing them upright within cake suggesting decay structures while caramelized hazelnut praline shards evoke fossilized leaves/amber cracks! Lastly finish off fairy-tale vibes by dotting meringue mushrooms dusted lightly using cocoa around odd-numbered clusters whilst piping swirls imitating creeping vines/root systems trailing down sides giving wild untamed feel!