Last Friday I was um-ing and ah-ing. I was going to a friend's house for dinner and I'd suggested I take pudding. But what to make? I wanted something simple, but looked great. My mind was a blank. But then, on the dog walk during the morning (ideas always come on a dog walk) I decided on chocolate cake. It was fairly quick and simple but I knew it would go down a storm. (Which it did. It completely disappeared.)
Homemade chocolate cake is one of the nicest cakes you can make. Shop bought always has a bit of a chemically aftertaste, I don't know what it is (additives?) but in this cake all you have is butter, sugar, eggs, flour, cocoa powder and, my secret ingredient, melted dark chocolate.
RECIPE FOR EASY CHOCOLATE CAKE
Equipment
- Two 8-inch/20cm, loose-bottomed if possible, cake tins. Grease each tin with butter on the bottom and sides then add a little flour, tapping it around so it covers all the butter. This stops the cake from sticking.
- Electric mixer
- Wire rack
Ingredients
For the cake
- 225g/8oz butter
- 225g/8oz caster sugar
- 4 eggs
- 200g/7oz self-raising flour
- 25g/1oz cocoa powder
- 100g dark chocolate (70%), melted
For the buttercream
- 175g/6oz butter, softened
- 340g/12 oz icing sugar
- 1 tablespoon cocoa powder
- 100g dark chocolate (70%), melted
- A splash of milk
- Maltesers or chocolate decoration of your choice
- Pre-heat your oven to 160 fan.
- Using an electric mixer combine the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
- Add the four eggs along with a spoonful of the flour/cocoa powder (to stop the mixture from splitting). Mix.
- Add the rest of the flour/cocoa powder and mix well.
- Melt the dark chocolate then pour into the cake batter while the mixer is still going round.
- Once thoroughly combined, divide equally between the two greased cake tins.
- Place in the oven for 20-25 minutes.
- Test if cooked through by pressing the sponge lightly. If it springs back it is cooked. You can also test using a metal skewer. If it comes out clean it is cooked. If it isn't done bake for a few more minutes.
- Allow to cool in the tin a little then tip out onto a wire rack.
- To make the buttercream - in the electric mixer combine the soft butter with the icing sugar.
- Add the cocoa powder and melted chocolate along with a splash of milk.
- Mix well for a few minutes.
- Once the sponge has cooled spread the buttercream over one half. Then place the other half on the top.
- Spread the rest of the buttercream over the top and the sides.
- Decorate with maltesers if desired.
