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Old-Fashioned Chocolate Cake Recipe

Old-Fashioned Chocolate Cake

Nigella Lawson

Recipe courtesy Nigella Lawson
(Copyright 2004, Feast, Hyperion, All Rights Reserved)

Show: Nigella FeastsEpisode: Chocolate Heaven

Rated: 4 stars out of 5Rate This RecipeRead users' reviews (93)

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Average Rating:

Total Reviews: 93

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  • on May 25, 2012

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    Wow, this IS a strange recipe - either loved or hated! Have made it several times-never been blown away, except frosting, but was always easy. This time I ended up with bricks! Have always used dutch cocoa & full fat sour cream. Had another try. Used KitchenAid this time, food proc turned out a really thick mixture. Better consistency & able to beat a bit of air into mix, also added 1tsp instant coffee dissolved in 1tsp water, 2tbsp/40ml buttermilk & it absolutely needs 1/2 tsp salt. But the main thing is turn the oven temp down. I was using dark tins, so I cooked it at 160-165C conventional-no fan-and it was still ready in 27 mins. Temp measured on separate oven therm. Cakes have turned out much better/lighter. Even so, might not risk recipe again. Really think directions are flawed. Another good cake is on Exclusively Food. Run by a couple of Aussie girls, they really have great step by step recipes (photos too, & they work every time.

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  • on April 04, 2012

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    This cake was easy to make, considering you just had to throw everything into the food processor. The reason why I didn't give this cake a higher rating is because of a few things; once I finished mixing everything in the food processor, and I turned out the batter into my cake pans, I found out it was insanely thick and the icing was shockingly sweet; I was surprised that I had to use 2 1/2 cups of confectioners sugar. The cake is very dry; I used Ina's tip of adding buttermilk to the batter to make the cake moist; I used 1 cup, and it turned out really moist .I will use less confectioners sugar in the icing though. Definitely a must try!

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  • on April 01, 2012

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    it was good except it broke my food processor

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  • on February 23, 2012

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    I have been using this recipe for the last three years, for all family birthdays, occasions, it is amazing, I have children asking me to write out the recipe for their mums! It has never let me down - the best choc cake ever!

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  • on January 02, 2012

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    worst cake I have ever made!

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  • on January 01, 2012

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    Wish I would have read reviews...my cake turned out oh so pretty...but dry as a bone! So disappointing!

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  • on December 17, 2011

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    I didn't like this cake at all. I made it twice. Both times I made the cake it turned out dry, and very crumbly. I have been baking for many many many years. It needs some type of wet ingredient to make it more moist. It is not overly chocolaty which did not bother me. But the lack of having a moist cake did. This cake is very dense. I did not have any problems with it rising. First time I used 8 inch round pans. Second time I used 9x13. They both turned out the same. I watched the baking time very closely, when I used the 9x13 pan. I checked it at 15 mins. then again at 17 mins. at 17 mins tooth pick came out clean and looked done. I don't recommend this recipe. There are better ones out there. Please don't waste your time. I thought it was maybe just people who didn't know how to bake that had problems. Nope its a bad recipe.

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  • on October 12, 2011

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    This cake was amazing!! This was my first time baking a chocolate cake from scratch. I substituted regular milk for the sour cream. It wasn't a fluffy cake so next time I would add in an extra egg and then it would be perfect!!!

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  • on October 02, 2011

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    I should have gone with anyone else's chocolate cake recipe. This was the worst chocolate cake recipe ever. I don't know if it was because I used Hersey's cocoa. I am not really sure what went wrong. But if I had made that for a party or to bring to someones house I would have been beyond embarrassed once they would have taken a bite. DO NOT MAKE THIS CAKE. IT IS A WAIST OF MONEY TIME AND INGREDIENTS.

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  • on September 29, 2011

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    The best chocolate cake recipe I have ever confronted,Nigella is the best

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