Nigella Lawson's Dense Chocolate Loaf Cake

I love love love Nigella Lawson!

And I am obsessed with all of her cookbooks, however, How to be a Domestic Goddess is one of my absolute favorite cookbooks.


I wanted to surprise my Hubby today so of course when I want to bake something yummy Nigella always comes to find first :) The wonderful loaf cake came out a lot better than I thought. I always like to read others comments before I use a recipe and many had problems with the batter oozing out or falling apart on them. I read and re-read the recipe to make sure I didn't forget anything and it would come out great. Be sure to line the loaf pan very well! My house smells of wonderful chocolate :) beat that Febreeze!

8 ounces salt soft unsalted butter
13 1/4 ounces dark muscovado sugar
2 large eggs, beaten
1 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 5/8 ounces best dark chocolate, melted
7 1/16 ounces plain flour
1 teaspoons bicarbonate of soda

Directions
1Preheat the oven to 375 F. Grease and line a 9 X 5 loaf tin. Cream the butter and sugar. Add the eggs and vanilla, beating in well.

2 Next fold in the melted and cooled chocolate, taking care to blend well but do not overbeat.

3 Gently add the flour, to which you've added the bicarb, alternately spoon by spoon, with 250 ml of boiling water until you have a smooth and fairly liquid batter.

4 Pour into the lined loaf tin and bake for 30 minutes. Turn the oven down to 325 F and cook for another 15 minutes.
5 Place the loaf tin on a rack and leave to get completely cold before turning it out.

I changed the recipe just a little. I added about a cup of dark chocolate chips in the batter and I glazed the top of the loaf because what is better than chocolate? More chocolate :)

For the chocolate glaze:
Ingredients
3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips
3 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon light corn syrup
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon espresso

Directions

In a double boiler over hot, but not boiling water, combine chocolate chips, espresso, butter and corn syrup. Stir until chips are melted and mixture is smooth, then add vanilla.

Then spread the warm chocolate all over the loaf cake :)