For chocolate cake base
Makes a 9-inch chocolate cake
Ingredients:
340g caster sugar
63g unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp salt
1½ tsp baking powder
1½ tsp baking soda
310g all-purpose flour or cake flour
120ml vegetable oil
2 large eggs
235ml boiling water
235ml milk
1 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp vanilla extract
Method:
1. Preheat oven to 175°C. Lightly grease and line 9-inch cake pan.
2. Whisk cocoa powder, caster sugar, salt, baking powder, baking soda, and flour in a large bowl until smooth. Set aside.
3. Whisk vegetable oil, eggs, milk, lemon juice and vanilla extract with a handheld mixer in a large measuring cup or bowl until smooth. Reduce speed and carefully add boiling water into the cake batter until well combined.
4. Add cocoa mixture from step 2 and whisk until smooth. Batter will be thin.
5. Pour into the prepared pan and tap tin on the table to burst any air bubbles. Bake until toothpick inserted in the middle of the cake comes out clean, around 28 to 35 minutes.
6. Remove cake from oven onto a rack and let it cool for around 10 minutes. Run a thin knife around the edge of the pan to unmould the cake and transfer to the rack to cool completely before covering and chilling in the refrigerator. The cake can be prepared one day earlier.
For the chocolate buttercream
Ingredients:
85g unsweetened cocoa powder
565g powdered sugar
225g unsalted butter, melted
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp salt
5 tbsp milk (around 74ml)
Method:
1. Add cocoa powder and powdered sugar to a large bowl. Whisk to combine and remove any lumps.
2. Add unsalted butter and mix with an electric mixer until crumbly, then add vanilla extract.
3. Add milk one tablespoon at a time until it reaches the consistency that you want. If the frosting is too wet, it will not hold its form. Add more confectioner’s sugar, one tablespoon at a time, until it reaches the right consistency. Use immediately.
For chocolate ganache
Ingredients:
120g heavy cream
223g semi-sweet chocolate chips
Method:
1. Heat cream in a saucepan over medium heat until it begins to gently summer. Do not let it boil.
2. Remove from heat then pour over chocolate chips. Stir occasionally until completely combined and chocolate has melted. Ganache should be of spreading consistency.
For white chocolate
Ingredients:
80g white chocolate, chips or chopped into small pieces
Green and yellow colouring for decoration
Method:
1. Place white chocolate in a heatproof bowl and microwave for 10 seconds at a time, stirring after each set. Once chocolate is almost melted with just a few lumps, stop and stir until it is completely smooth.
3. Divide chocolate into two bowls and add respective green and yellow colouring as you desire.
For gelatin jelly
Ingredients:
¾ cup cold water
60g gelatin powder
75g sugar
300ml water
2 tbsp lemon juice
Method:
1. Place cold water in a small bowl and add gelatin powder while whisking with a fork. Set aside for 10 minutes.
2. Add sugar and water in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Remove from stove and add to gelatin mix. Add lemon juice, stir until combined.
3. Let it cool and thicken.
Decorations:
Ingredients:
Modelling chocolate. It is not as easily available in Singapore but you can still buy it online from Amazon.
Gum paste
Acetate sheet
2 wires to create tree
Cake colouring as you desire (in green and brown for the tree, pink and red for the flora and figurine)
Required tools:
9-inch springform pan
Cake turntable
Cake leveller
Angled spatula
Scraper