My Darker Version of the London Viral Chocolate Cake

How dark can a chocolate cake get without a single drop of food coloring? Just cocoa, coffee and chocolate. I wanted the most chocolate cake. Like the one from Matilda, but darker and more grown up. And inside I hit a ruby red layer. Spoiler: not everything went as planned. Same cocoa, left, regular, right, dutch process, darker and smoother. We'll be right back. Today I have three goals. The cake has to be incredibly delicious, stable, and black. Truly black. I start with the ganache. It needs time. And here is the first problem. My chocolate is only 54%. It gives flavor but not the color I want. So, a little experiment. Cocoa right into the ganache. First, I mix it with a little water. If you add cocoa straight to the cream, you'll get lumps. The cream has to be high in fat. I heat it together with cocoa. See how the color changes. A spoon of glucose syrup or a good neutral honey. This is for shine. The ganache is ready. Now butter. Just like in viral London cake recipe. A blender. Not a whisk. A blender. It makes a real emulsion. Smooth, glossy, with no air bubbles. This makes a stable cream with a dark chocolate ganache base, it's what will hold this cake together. No rings, no molds, I won't whip it, it just needs to cool and set. While the cream rests, the sponge. This is my adjustable cake frame. I bake almost all my cakes in it, a little parchment, and any size you need. All sizes will be in the description or in the comment. The oven is on, is ready, and now, secret number one. You won't taste it, but it makes chocolate taste more like chocolate, and the color even deeper. I pour hot coffee over the cocoa. The heat opens up the cocoa, both the aroma and the color. Look at this color. We are not done yet. Separately, I melt the chocolate with butter. Combine it with the coffee and cocoa, Then the milk, and a little vinegar. Vinegar in a chocolate cake? Here is why. Dutch processed cocoa isn't acidic anymore, but baking soda needs acid to work. The vinegar gives it that acid. Just one egg. My eggs are small, so I use two and weight them. Flour. A little tip. Dark cocoa dries the sponge a little, and stronger flour gives it a better structure. In sugar, it holds moisture so the sponge stays juicy. Baking soda and baking powder. Watch closely. That's the baking soda meeting the vinegar. These tiny bubbles will stay in the sponge, that's what makes it so light. I pour it into a thin layer in a 20 by 30 centimeter pan, about 8 by 12 inches. No tall cakes to slice later. I bake one sheet and cut it into three layers. It's ready when it springs back. For me, that was 15 to 19 minutes. About 94 degrees Celsius inside. 200 Fahrenheit. Just use a dry skewer. And the most important part. Let it cool completely. A warm sponge crumbles. Don't skip this step. And here is my big idea. Chocolate cake often missing one thing. Acidity. Without it chocolate feels heavy and too sweet. I want a bright rolled up layer. Cranberries and port. You can use a red wine instead of port or skip it completely. I cook the cranberries in port and blend them. The color is beautiful for now. Now the agar. You don't need to cook it down until thick. What matters is the full boil for one or two minutes. Without boiling, agar won't set. But boiling is also a risk. Let's see if the color survives it. The filling will cool and set. And then a little trick. I blend it again once it's cold. It turns smooth and creamy, easy to pipe. The sponge has cooled. I cut it into three layers, 10 by 20 centimeters, about 4 by 8 inches. I could put the cake together today, but I started way too late. So, tomorrow, and while the layers rest, a small request. If you enjoyed this video, please like it, leave a comment, or type a high five. It helps YouTube show it to more people. And a big thanks to everyone who uses my recipes' recipe cards. You support me and this channel so much because of you I can make more videos. A new day. The moment I've been waiting for. No rings. No molds. Just layers. And cream. And the filling of course. I blend the filling one more time and into a piping bag. Pour a piping bag to a spatula. The layers come out more even and everything is under control. But if you don't have one, a spatula and a spoon will work. A rectangular cake is easy to cut into neat portions. First layer, cream, second layer, cream and cranberry. I have to admit, I thought I didn't have enough fillings, So I use it. In just one layer, but it would have been enough for two. Next time definitely. Smooth it with a spatula. No extra tools. As simple as possible. Now the cake needs to chill a little. The last touch cocoa on top like velvet. All sizes and ingredients are in the description and in comment. Use a warm knife so the cream doesn't drag. And the cut is clean. There it is. Look at this color. Not a single drop of food coloring. And the layer. Not ruby, a dark red. The agar needed a full boil. And cranberry's bright color doesn't like heat. Without food coloring, I couldn't keep that bright red. But the taste, it's amazing. Deeply chocolate. And the cranberry does exactly what I wanted. It adds tartness and balance. It's not too sweet. It's a grown-up cake. The sponge is tender, soft and juicy. The cream is deep and rich. Together perfect chocolate. I'm really happy with it. The only thing I change is the color of the layer. What about you? Would you add food coloring for a brighter color? Or keep the natural flavor? Tell me in the comments. Thank you for watching.