There is an institution that is called Lana in Singapore. Before chocolate cake specialty shops like Awfully Chocolate sprouted up, the recommendation was always to Lana’s for chocolate cake.
Lana’s bake other cakes as well, but its their chocolate cake that is so sought after. That fudgey chocolate coating that covers the moist cake is always SO good. A Singaporean friend’s birthday over the weekend prompted me to attempt this cake – a treat quite a few of us miss about Singapore.
I searched extensively for something as close to a Lana chocolate cake as possible and just when I was about to give up, one appeared in an obscure mommy forum! It is credited to Aunty Yochana, a cake blogger some Singaporeans might be familar with. It is quite a curious recipe and I was a little doubtful that it would be successful for various reasons. First, it uses canola oil instead of butter (this is supposed to make it healthier?) AND it is steamed instead of being baked.
But I guess that’s what makes it old-fashioned. Heh.
The recipe is meant for a 9″ cake tin, but I only had my loaf tins, so I used the extra batter for some tea cakes!
The cake was a big success, the birthday girl enjoyed it tremendously, and I had a lot of fun licking the chocolate coating as I frosted the cake. I would say its about 90% similar to Lana’s. Especially the chocolate coating. It was super YUMS. =d
Old-Fashioned Chocolate Cake (an attempt at recreating Lana’s)
Cake ingredients:
350 ml canola oil
1 1/2 cups raw sugar
1 can of evaporated milk
4 large eggs, lightly beaten
2 cups plain flour
1 cup cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon bicarbonate soda
1 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla essence
Chocolate coating ingredients:
1 can of sweetened condensed milk
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
1/2 cup canola oil
1/2 cup cocoa powder, sifted
1/2 teaspoon salt
Cake
Combine sugar, evaporated milk, vanilla essence and canola oil in a saucepan. Stir over low heat until sugar is completely dissolved then turn off fire and let cool.
Add the beaten eggs into the cooled mixture and stir until well mixed.
Sift flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and bicarbonate soda into a large mixing bowl then pour the egg mixture over the flour and stir till well mixed. The cake batter should be runny.
Heat up the steamer.
Grease a 9 inch baking pan and pour the batter into prepared pan. Place the pan into the steamer.
Steam on medium heat for 90 minutes.
Cool the cake completely before turning out for frosting.
Chocolate Coating
Combine the sifted cocoa powder, condensed milk and canola oil.
Stir over low heat till mixture is smooth and shiny, making sure to stir all the time to prevent burning.
Add salt and vanilla essence. Stir well.
Let cool a little before use.
Enjoy the moist cake with all the fudgey goodness of the chocolate coating! And don’t forget to let me know if you do! =)
[...] coating and it’s pretty simple to apply this coat on the cake. The original recipe (adapted from cookiefleur) calls for a steamed chocolate cake. But I was still madly in love with the “Everyday Chocolate [...]
Hi!!
I m so glad I found this. My brother in law’s birthday is around the corner and I am in search for a recipe that is similar to awfully chocolate/ lana’s! Anyway, the same chocolate coating is used for the filling between the two cakes and coating the exterior of the cake right?
Hi Pinchofglamour, yup! I used the same for the icing as well as the filling between the cakes. Let me know how it turns out! Have fun!
Oh and do we have to leave It to set in the fridge for a couple of hours after applying the ganache/chocolate coating?
Alright!! I think I’ll be baking this weekend!! Is this served cold or At room temperature? How long does the frosting take to set? Should I pop it in the fridge to let the frosting set?
hi cookiefleur, This recipe looks sooo interesting. Does it really taste close to the famous fudge cake @ Lana Cake Shop Singapore? One question, how do you spread the fudge ? with the baking spatula? Thank you for sharing!
Hi Helen, the fudge icing is quite flowy, so I pour it on and then spread it with a spatula. =)
Hi there. How large are the cans of evaporated and condensed milk? Are you referring to the standard Carnation brand that has slightly tallish cans of evaporated milk (about 10oz) and shorter cans of condensed milk (about 8oz)?
Thanks.
Hi Brenda!
Yes, that is correct.
Have fun with the cake!
I am going to attempt this cake. ut alittle uncertain about the steaming.
I have an oven that can steam but only has 2 options which is hi steam and low steam.
or should i try the conventional method of wok and a metal plate to prop up the cake? For this method, i should let the water boil first, then put the cake in to steam, then bring fire to medium mark?
Hi T2, I would go with the conventional method of steaming in a wok, although I’m guessing that your steam function on the oven should work on hi steam as well – give it a go!
For wok steaming, yes let the water come to a boil first then lower the fire to medium.
Have fun!
hi cookiefluer,
i tried it baking it but it came out a bit dry too. the strange thing is that when i was cooking it, the sides get cook faster than the middle therefore i suspect that is why the cake is a little dry due to the inconsistent cooking throughout. do you know why this happen?? thanks for your advise.
Hi dyss,
this recipe is not meant to be baked. the cake is meant to be steamed… perhaps that is why it came out a bit dry. Do steam it instead, it should be really moist and nice! =)
oh when i meant bake = steam.. i steamed it but it came out a bit dry.
hi there! did you use baking paper when you steam the cake or just light greasing of the pan will do? and i’m thinking of using a ceramic bowl instead of a pan, do u think it’ll be the same effect?
in addition, only when the cake is fully cooled down from the pan can we take it out right?
Hi! Just greasing the bowl will do. Yes, once the cake it cooled, it should pull away from the bowl slightly and you’ll be able to invert it onto a plate easily.
Cheers!
i halved the recipe bcuz i didnt need to cook that big a cake and it turned out to be a little bit too dry
what should i add to make it more moist?
and also, how did u make yr cake hv a layer of fudge inbetween? did u cut it into two?
thanks in adv! (:
hey do respond as i’m about to take another go at it! thanks
Hi, I’ve never had problems with it being dry as it is a steamed cake… even when I made it in cupcake size… so I wouldn’t be able to accurately advise you on how to make it more moist… perhaps you might need to add a bit more of the liquid ingredients such as the oil or milk? this is just a guess.
I baked the cake in 2 cake tins, frosted one then placed the other on top and frosted again.
although i suppose you can cut your cake in two if you wish.
Dear mam can we use butter salted/unsalted instead of oil
Hi Sharmila,
I have not tested it with butter, so will not be able to advise. I think liquid fat is needed, so butter may not work. If you do give it a try, please let me know if it works! =)
looks lovely but 1 silly question, exactly how much is 1 cup!?
big/small/medium ?
sigh
heehee, you’ll need to buy a measuring cup for cooking/baking, it will have the measurement of 1/4cup, 1/3cup, 1/2 cup, 3/4cup, 2/3cup, 1 cup on the sides of the cup… sometimes up to 2 cups depending on the size you buy. Easily available at department stores/NTUC/Cold Storage. =)
This looks good. I don’t have a steamer. Can I just place the pan in a Dutch oven with a bit of boiling water and a tight-fitting lid, or is that the wrong idea?
This recipe looks fabulous. I’d love to try it.
Hi Mrs M, yes you can place the cake tin in any deep pan with boiling water. The tin should not touch the water though, make sure its “propped up” or “suspended” and not a water bath.
Also, make sure the water is enough to last for 90 mins of steaming. Its also ok if the lid is not perfectly tight. This will give good steaming action.
Let me know how it turns out for you! =)