½cupMilk120 ml at room temperature, can be substituted with any plant-based milk
¾cupJaggery Powder125 grams
2whole Eggsat room temperature
1teaspoonVanilla Extract
½cupVegetable Oil120 ml
½teaspoonVinegar
1cupRagi Flour135 grams, (Finger Millet Flour)
⅓cupCocoa Powder30 grams
½teaspoonBaking Soda
½teaspoonBaking Powder
¼teaspoonSalt
¼cupchopped Almonds or Walnutsoptional
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 180°C. Grease an 8-inch round cake pan with butter and line the base with parchment paper.
Preparing the Batter:
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together jaggery, milk, eggs, oil, vinegar, and vanilla until homogeneous.
Place a sieve over the bowl, ensuring it doesn't touch the wet ingredients. Sift ragi flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt into the bowl.
Gently whisk the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until well mixed.
Baking:
Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan and tap twice to release any air bubbles. Top with chopped almonds or walnuts.
Bake for 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Optionally at this stage, poke some holes into the hot cake and drizzle 2 tablespoons milk on top. The cake will soak up the milk and become more moist.
Allow the cake to cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Carefully invert the cake onto a cooling rack, remove the parchment paper, and let it cool completely. Slice and enjoy your Ragi Chocolate Cake.
Notes
Always sieve the flour and other dry ingredients before mixing to prevent lumps
Use a whisk to mix the dry ingredients in the wet ingredients. This will ensure the ragi gets mixed properly.
Allow the cake to cool down for about 15 minutes before you unmold it.
Make sure to preheat the oven before you start baking to help the cake rise properly.
To check if the cake is baked through, stick a knife or skewer in the middle. If it comes out clean, it’s done. If not, put it back into the oven for a few minutes and check again.
I would recommend using 60-70% dark cocoa powder to achieve that rich chocolatey flavor. However, you can use milk chocolate if you prefer your chocolate cakes sweeter.
If jaggery powder is too coarse, dissolve it in milk first before continuing with the recipe.
When mixing dry ingredients into wet, use a whisk to avoid lumps
Optional Serving Suggestion: Melt equal amount of chocolate chips & fresh cream in a microwave safe bowl and microwave it in 10 second intervals to make a ganache. Be very careful, because chocolate can burn easily. Stir after every 10 seconds and microwave until it’s just melted. It should be of a thick yet pouring consistency. Pour this over the Ragi Chocolate Cake and then top it with chopped almonds or walnuts.
The nutritional info above does not include ganache if using.