The 5 Hour Cake

I baked this cake last minute-ly for a last minute-ly prepared birthday surprise. Everyone was too busy rushing for assignments due on that day. His housemate was still fixing their assignment when he called. It was 3.30pm.

I know what I wanted to bake, I just needed a basic chocolate cake recipe. I went home, googled for some chocolate cake recipe, found the simplest looking one, shopped, and started baking. Hoping that the cake would at least be edible.

Making this cake was tedious, but very worth it!

Banana Chocolate Cake

Chocolate Cake: I googled, and got to this.

2 cups plain flour

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

2 cups caster sugar

2/3 cups cocoa

1 cup milk

1/2 cup olive oil (or melted butter)

1 tsp vanilla

2 large eggs

1 cup coffee (i only use 1/2 cup of strong espresso. adjust it to how watery/strong

coffee flavour u want the cake to be, taste the batter)

Filling:

Ripe Bananas (about 4-5), sliced thinly

Chocolate Flavoured Whipped Cream (you can get it from the dairy section)

Chocolate Frosting: Same as the glaze here.

10 ozs bittersweet chocolate (Cadbury)

3 tbs corn syrup (i used light syrup, coles/woolies dont sell corn syrup)

1 1/4 cup unsalted butter (melt & measure)

Steps:

1. Preheat oven to 190ºC.

2 Mix Flour, Baking Powder, Baking Soda, Salt, Cocoa Powder in a large mixing bowl.

3. Add Milk, Oil, Eggs & Vanilla to the mixture. Beat well until no lumps.

4. Add coffee to the batter. I used only 1/2 cup of really strong espresso. Dont be afraid

to taste the batter to see how bitter/sweet it is. Adjust to the liquidity of batter.

5. Grease and line 2 8-inch round cake tins.

6. Pour equal amounts into each pan and bake for about 40 minutes or until toothpick

inserted into center comes out clean.

7. As cake is baking, melt choc, butter and syrup in a pot. Leave to cool until spreading

consistency.

8. Let cake cool completely. (Use freezer if in a rush)

9. Slice each cake into 2 layers. To mark cake, insert toothpick around the edges, using it as

a mark to slice.

10. Place first layer on a board. Spread chocolate flavoured whipped cream on first layer,

arrange banana slices. Spread another layer of cream on another layer. Sandwich the

banana layer with the chocolate layer. Repeat on each layer till finish. Fill the gaps at

the edge of the cakes till smooth.

11. Chill the cake layers (again, use the freezer if rushing). When the cream is set, spread the

chocolate frosting on the side of the cake to "fill" and "smoothen" the surface.

12. Lastly, pour the remainder of the chocolate frosting on top, let it flow down the sides to

get the smooth, shiny surface.

13. Chill in the fridge till set. (again, use the freezer if rushing)

14. Clean the side of the cakes, and transfer the cake to a [s]plate[/s] cake board.

15. Decorate if you have time. (I dont recommend decorating when you are short in time or

under stress, it might look weird).

You see:

16. Enjoy!

I think I performed more efficiently than usual under stress. :p