How to make a great chocolate cake?

I made a chocolate cake the other day but it didn't really taste chocolatey. I used cocoa powder. If I substituted that for melted chocolate would the taste be stronger or do you have nay other ideas?

Public Comments

  1. Cocoa powder results in the most chocolate tasting cake, so that was right. Maybe you need a recipe that uses more.

    The best technique I have seen for using cocoa powder is to dissolve it first in a little bit of boiling water. This releases its flavor even more in the cake. Look for a recipe that uses that technique.
  2. Easy Chocolate Cake
    (Scandinavian)

    Yield: 12 servings

    Ingredients
    1+¼ cup (170 g) flour
    2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder (dutched/dark)
    2 teaspoons baking powder
    1 cup (200 g) sugar
    1 tablespoon vanilla essence
    ½ cup (1.2 dl) milk or water
    ½ cup (1.2 dl) vegetable oil (flavorless)
    2 eggs

    Ingredients for frosting
    2/3 cup (1.6 dl) heavy cream or whipping cream
    9 oz (260 g) semisweet chocolate (40-50% cocoa)

    Method

    1. Preheat oven to 350 deg F (Gas mark 4 or 180 deg C)
    2. Grease a 9 inch (23 cm) cake tin.
    3. Mix flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, sugar and vanilla essence in a bowl.
    4. Add milk/water, vegetable oil and eggs.
    5. Mix everything together until smooth, either by hand or by using an electric mixer at slow speed.
    6. Transfer to bake tin and bake at 350 degrees until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean, approximately 35 to 45 minutes.
    7. After the cake has cooled, slice the cake through the middle to make two layers (easier if the cake has been in the fridge).

    Frosting

    1. Heat 2/3 cup (1.6 dl) of heavy cream or whipping cream in a sauce pan.
    2. Remove from heat, add 9 oz (260 g) of finely chopped dark semisweet chocolate, stir until smooth, and let it cool until in thickens, if needed in the fridge.
    3. Use one 1/3 of the frosting between the two layers, 1/3 on top, and the rest around the cake. Put the cake into the fridge for one hour or more to harden the frosting.
    4. This cake should have room temperature when served.

    Variations

    1. You may substitute 1-2 tablespoons of cream with rum for the frosting.
    2. You may cut the top of the cake to make a flat surface before adding the frosting.
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