T O R T E

This chocolate beauty was made for one of my really amazing friends on her 27th birthday. I used ingredients from the pantry and the fridge just cuz I was lazy (and it is super hot in Vancouver currently!). I call this a torte because it is not a stacked birthday cake oozing with buttercream icing. This one is a thin crusted, chocolate infested, strawberry garnished torte that suited our very grown up cake and wine birthday party. You can use other fruits such as blackberries, canned peaches or raspberries. Keep it simple but loaded with flavor.

Serves 2 - 4

Ingredients
1 cup all purpose flour
1 cup canola oil (or any light vegetable oil)
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
3 large eggs
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1/2 cup chocolate chips (for ganache)
1 spoon milk
1 tsp vanilla essence
1 tsp baking powder
Oil spray
4-5 medium sized strawberries (pat dried), halved

1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees. Spray your cake pan and keep aside. 
2. In a large bowl, combined eggs, oil and both sugars.
3. Add vanilla essence and mix well till everything is combined together. 
4. Add flour, baking powder and cocoa. 
5. Fold these in, and do not whip it because you don't want to kill the batter. (this ensures that your cake would be soft and airy)
6. Pour the batter in the sprayed pan and bake for 18 - 20 minutes, till baked inside out. 
7. Take the cake out and insert a fork or toothpick to make sure it is baked. Keep aside and let it cool, preferably for 3 - 4 hours. 
8. For the ganache, put the chocolate chips and milk in the microwave (this is the easiest ganache recipe I could come up with sans full fat cream)!
9. On the cooled cake, spread the ganache in a clockwise direction. Start from the centre and spread it outwards till you have the surface covered. 
10. Decorate with halved strawberries.
11. Serve and see the look on your friends' faces.