I've been asked to make a gluten free, dairy free and egg free cake and I've tried making Wacky cake (this one - http://cakecentral.com/recipe/wacky-cake-2) and I've discovered I need to add more water because of the gluten-free flour I'm using (Dove's brand plain flour) and I've added some xanthan gum but the problem I've been having is that it just doesn't taste chocolatey enough. Its very moist and has a nice texture but doesn't have much of a chocolate taste to it. I'm in the UK and using Green and Blacks cocoa powder which I normally find gives a nice chocolate flavour but I must admit all my chocolate cake recipes I use have melted chocolate added to them too.

Should I take some of the flour out and add more cocoa powder? Is it going to mess up the science of it? Or add some melted dairy free chocolate? I did try it with coffee instead of water but there was a funny taste to it and I wasn't sure if it was the coffee making it taste funny.

Has anybody else found this or got any advice? Thank you!

If I were doing this I'd try what I always do for my chocolate cakes:

Bring the water to a boil and add it to the cocoa powder. Stir thoroughly and cover, allow to cool. Then mix into the recipe as directed. Boiling water tends to bring out the flavor of cocoa.

If that doesn't help you, then I'm afraid I don't have an answer....you'll just have to play around with it. Or hope someone who knows what they are doing answers!

Coffee really brings out the chocolate flavor. I would replace the instant coffee with something stronger.. Starbucks or D&D. I did that in my chocolate recipe and it makes a huge difference

Thanks for your replies. Sorry but I wasn't sure what D&D was though?

If I add the cocoa to hot water do I then need to add any extra flour to the mix or does it not matter about the fact that there will be less dried ingredients as its mixed with something else (if that makes sense!)?

Thank you I again, I plan to try again tomorrow or Monday!

Dunkin Donuts... really just anything strong

Ah OK thank you, sadly we don't have Dunkin Doughnuts in the UK (although its probably better for my waist that there isn't!) but I tried again today without coffee as I didn't have anything other than instant granules I used before and added some melted chocolate too and they were much better. I'm sure dissolving the cocoa helped so thanks for that suggestion.

Does anybody know how long wacky cake lasts once its made? The cake is being collected on Saturday for a party on Sunday, it'll be ok to make and decorate it on Friday won't it? Or could I make it Thursday and cover it on Friday?