This is no ordinary chocolate cake recipe, this is my total local chocolate cake recipe. Now this is not a chocolate cake using only local ingredients, the total local part of the title refers to the actual chocolate I will be using as the star ingredient in this recipe. To be accurate, this is my total local chocolate, chocolate cake recipe.

Our local chocolate comes from the Trinitario bean . The Trinitario bean is a hybrid of the Criollo and the Forastero beans and was created right here in Trinidad & Tobago and is one of the finest cocoa in the world. So you see where I going with this. To make the best chocolate cake we can make we have to use the best ingredients.

So I will be using a cocoa powder that I got from Gillian Goddard of Sun Eaters Organics. Sun Eaters Organics is just but one of the many local chocolatiers who are making fine cocoa products embracing the farm to bar or bean to bar process in chocolate making. This means they can participate in ethical and sustainable practices within the industry. Gillian is also an activist, change maker and the Co founder and co director of ARC. Which is the alliance of rural communities. She has a secret recipe for a chocolate cake that uses 100 percent total local products and I hope to get her to share that secret in the future.

The Sun Eaters cocoa powder is all natural cocoa powder that has not been alkalinized so that’s why it has a redder color and not dark as other cocoa powders are known for. I’ll also be using cocoa ball in my buttercream frosting. This is the same cocoa ball that my mother and grandmother used to grate to make cocoa tea for us when I was growing up. You can still get these in the market and they already come with a lot of spices in them like nutmeg and cinnamon. To top off the cake with a little texture and raw cocoa flavor to balance the sweetness of the frosting, I will be using cocoa nibs. Cocoa nibs actually have a lot of health benefits as well.

Total Local Chocolate Cake

Ingredients

• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 3/4 cup cocoa powder
• 2 cups brown sugar
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 2 tsp tonkabean
• 1 tsp coffee
• 2 large eggs beaten
• 1 cup milk
• 1/2 cup oil
• 1 cup boiling water

Method:

1. Sift flour, baking powder and baking soda into a bowl
2. Add salt, cocoa powder, sugar and tonkabean then combine well
3. Add eggs, milk and oil then combine
4. Add boiling water a little at a time then combine well with a whisk
5. Divide batter in half and place into two well greased 9″ cake pans
6. Bake in a preheated oven at 350 degrees for 30 minutes
7. Allow to cool for 10 minutes then remove from pan
8. Continue to allow to cool before adding buttercream frosting
9. Cut mound off the bottom cake to make the surface as flat as possible
10. Add a generous helping of buttercream frosting to the surface making sure the entire area is covered
11. Add second cake on top then continue to add buttercream frosting
12. Make sure the surface and sides of the cake are well coated with frosting
13. Top with cocoa nibs and remaining un-sifted cocoa powder

Total Local Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups unsalted butter at room temperature
• 4 cups icing sugar
• 1 cup grated cocoa ball powder
• 2 tbsp milk
• 3 tbsp cacao nibs

Method:

1. Combine butter, grated cocoa powder and sugar in a bowl with a spatula
2. Add milk then begin to cream with a hand beater or stand mixer
3. Cream for 3 to 5 minutes until light and airy