One of my crowning achievements i have to say. Took me a while to get it near perfect and i think i did alright. Give it a go for yourselves.
Ingredients for base mix (this can be baked on its own for chocolate fudge cake). - 100g unsweetened cocoa
- 15g sachet of baking powder from Lidl (or 15g of regular baking powder)
- 1 tbsp vanilla flavouring
- 100g vital wheat gluten protein Get it here!
- 5 large whole eggs
- 250g ASDA, Sainsburys or Morrisons quark (Tesco is much drier and doesnt mix as well, or you can use low fat cream cheese)
- 75 individual sweetener tablets from Lidl (or Tesco economy range which is the same) dissolved in 100ml of water [add in 30ml of boiling to the tablets and top up with cold when theyre dissolved). This equates to 1 1/4 cups of sugar in sweetness.
NOTE: Use the Tesco Economy range or Lidl range only of the sweeteners. Other brands in this quantity will leave it tasting bitter and horrible aftertastes will ensue. Of, if youre so inclined, use splenda tablets. Instruments needed Silicone stiff spatula for scraping sides
Manual hand whisk
4L Large plastic bowl (or glass)
2 inch deep pan 10 inches wide
Baking parchment
Cooling rack
Variation ingredients - 100g peanut butter for reeses (crunchy works well)
- 100g unsweetened dessicated coconut for bounty
- 1 tbsp of orange extract for choc orange
- 1 tbsp mint extract for choc mint
Chocolate frosting After the cake has cooled down overnight in the fridge apply the frosting to it. You can at this point add in dark chocolate shavings for extra decadence.
Ingredients: 250g quark
100g unsweetened cocoa powder
60 sweetener tabs dissolved in water.
Method - Put quark in bowl first, cocoa second, then sweetener last. Stir thoroughly until roughly combined. Add in a tablespoon of water at a time until right concictsney for frosting is achieved. It will take some eye balling, so stir thoroughly. It should be thick and smooth when finished (see photo of cake with frosting for example).
Macro breakdowns for 1/8 portion (which is large in itself, you may want to double cut this into 16 sections) Choc fudge cake/Choc Orange/Choc Mint -
150 kcals/20g protein/4g carb/6g fat Reeses -
225 Kcals/12g fat/4g carbs/23g Pro Coconut - -
226 kcals/21g pro/4g carb/14g fat Choc fudge cake with choc frosting -
210 Kcals/27g pro/7g carbs/9g fat
Method -
1. Combine wet ingredients first. So put in the quark first then the eggs in a large 4L plastic bowl. Then add in the cocoa powder close to the bowl and slowly so it doesnt fly everywhere. Then add in the vanilla and the dissolved sweeteners.
(if making reeses then add in 100g of warmed peanut butter first before any other ingredients, if making bounty then add in coconut after cocoa, if making choc orange or choc mint add in flavourings with the vanilla) 
2. Fold in the ingredients gently so the cocoa powder is underneath the wet ingredients first. Then when there is no risk of cocoa splash over give it some welly with the hand mixer for a good minute taking care to scrape the sides as you go (this is why i recommend a plastic bowl as its easier to work with).
3. Then add in the vital wheat gluten and the baking powder on top. Fold in the ingredients again using the same method as the cocoa powder and again give it some welly until the ingredients are mix thoroughly. It should be thick yet move slightly when the bowl is tilted to one side
4. Prepare your baking tin with parchment pressed into the sides and scrape the mixture into the tin. Spread to all sides of the tin using your spatula and most importantly after you're done, lick the spatula for good measure!
5. Put into a preheated oven at 160C for 30 minutes (this is based on a fan oven, those without please place on the middle rack and adjust temp by 10C higher and baking time for 5 mins longer). Insert a toothpick into the centre of the cake to make sure it comes out clean.
6. Remove from oven and leave to one side for 5 minutes to cool down slightly. Then grab the parchment with both hands and place on the cooling rack and carefuly remove the parchment from the cake (you may need to tilt it to one side to remove it from the cake). Allow to cool to room temp then place in fridge overnight to set properly.
7. Cut into 8 slices and wrap up, or place in a tupperware box for later enjoyment.
<message edited by theiopener on 10 August 2011 23:32>