Chocolate Madeira

[Dulux316]

Hi all,

First post here and looking for help.

I usually bake a tried and tested madeira cake for birthday/celebration cakes but have a requirement to do a chocolate birthday cake but still need to decorate in fondant etc.

Can I change my usual recipe to a chocolate madeira? Perhaps add cocoa powder or melted chocolate?

I'd like it to not be too dry so thinking adding melted chocolate might help but obviously don't want to threaten the rise.

Usual recipe is (for a 7" round tin):

230g SR Flour
170g Caster Sugar
170g Stork
3 Eggs
Milk

Fingers crossed for some help and advice. TIA.

 

[Norcalbaker59]

Hi all,

First post here and looking for help.

I usually bake a tried and tested madeira cake for birthday/celebration cakes but have a requirement to do a chocolate birthday cake but still need to decorate in fondant etc.

Can I change my usual recipe to a chocolate madeira? Perhaps add cocoa powder or melted chocolate?

I'd like it to not be too dry so thinking adding melted chocolate might help but obviously don't want to threaten the rise.

Usual recipe is (for a 7" round tin):

230g SR Flour
170g Caster Sugar
170g Stork
3 Eggs
Milk

Fingers crossed for some help and advice. TIA.

No you cannot just add cocoa powder because cocoa powder is highly hygroscopic meaning it pulls moisture from its environment.

To impart chocolate flavor into a cake you will need at least 85 g of cocoa powder. That 85 g of cocoa powder will end up absorbing most of liquid in your batter, making a very dry cake. So if you add cocoa powder you’re going to need to increase the liquid.

You would do better to just find a chocolate recipe.

 

[retired baker]

Hi all,

First post here and looking for help.

I usually bake a tried and tested madeira cake for birthday/celebration cakes but have a requirement to do a chocolate birthday cake but still need to decorate in fondant etc.

Can I change my usual recipe to a chocolate madeira? Perhaps add cocoa powder or melted chocolate?

I'd like it to not be too dry so thinking adding melted chocolate might help but obviously don't want to threaten the rise.

Usual recipe is (for a 7" round tin):

230g SR Flour
170g Caster Sugar
170g Stork
3 Eggs
Milk

Fingers crossed for some help and advice. TIA.

yes of course you can, just replace 1/4 of the flour with cocoa powder, add 1/2 tsp of baking powder.

 

[Norcalbaker59]

1. Madeira is a pound cake; there’s no liquid except the eggs. So no you cannot simply add cocoa powder without adjusting the only source of liquid in the batter.

2. Maderia is not a cake made in the US, but In the UK. And in the UK, self-rising flour is used, which already contains baking powder. Baking is a chemical reaction, and the sodium bicarbonate is activated by water, heat, and acids. I just can’t say “cocoa powder” when instructing someone to use it in a recipe. Baking soda is an alkaline; it requires an acid to activate.

Baking powder contains two acids. When it comes in contact with water and heat, the acids are activated.

Natural cocoa powder is acidic; opposite of an acid is alkaline, so baking soda is the opposite.


Dutch processed cocoa powder has processed to reduce the acidity so we can better taste the chocolate; it is alkaline; the opposite is acid, so baking powder is the opposite.

When using baking powder in a recipe you use Dutch process cocoa powder.