2 Chocolate Cakes

Over the weekend, a friend asked me to make her a cake for an afternoon tea party she was throwing. She didn't specify what type of cake she would like, but rather left that decision with me. With the weather still being so cold, I thought that a couple of lovely, warming chocolate cakes  would go down well.
The recipe i have used here produces a very moist cake which is bitter-sweet because of the very dark chocolate used in it. It has a very spongy texture, making it not too heavy.
The first cake I made simply incorporated a simple flower pattern:

piped flower design

Around the outside of the cake, i have piped small rosettes of chocolate ganache  on both the top and the bottom. The flower design is just a simple one using a no. 2 piping nozzle.

The centers of the flowers are made by simply placing a small white chocolate ball where the four petals meet.

The other cake is very similar to the one above, the only difference being in the decoration:

piped rosette design

This cake also has piped rosettes of the same chocolate ganache around both top and bottom, although it uses a larger nozzle. More rosettes have be added for enhanced decoration. I have place a white chocolate ball in their centers to add a flower-like effect to the appearance of the cake. 

For both cakes, two layers have been sandwiched and coated with a smooth chocolate buttercream. The bittersweet of the cake contrasts well with the sweetness of the icing, which makes the cake a lovey afternoon treat. Even so, I'd advise a small slice only - it is quite a rich cake!