Chocolate cake. Sometimes it can get a bit of a bad rap, and sometimes that bad rap justified. There are a lot of bad chocolate cakes out there, probably as many bad ones as good ones.
For me a chocolate cake should be moist and rich, but not too heavy or sickly sweet, and of course, should pack a chocolatey punch. And for me, this cake delivers! Soft moist cake with soft squidgy fudge icing.
This cake is super versatile, not only working as a large cake, but also as cupcakes. Perfect as a birthday cake, even great as a dessert, with ice cream or whipped cream (or both!!!) Doubly gorgeous if you warm a slab in the microwave first!
I've converted chocolate cake haters with this recipe!
It also lends itself wonderfully to gluten free and/or dairy free. To go gluten free just swap out the flour for gluten free flour, and add an extra 2 tbsp of milk. To go dairy free just switch the milk for a dairy free milk of choice (I usually use unsweetened soya, but any dairy free milk will work fine as long as it can be cooked), but do bear in mind that if your milk is strongly flavoured, as some of the nut milks are, it may take on some of the flavour of the milk. Something to consider when making substitutions. Similarly, for the icing any dairy free alternatives can be used, no need to make any substitutions to make it gluten free as it already is.
Easy Chocolate Cake:
Makes a deep 20cm round round cake.
For the cake:
285g Self Raising Flour
225g Caster Sugar
75g Cocoa Powder
2 Tsp Bicarbonate Soda
4 Large Eggs
300 ml Whole Milk
300 ml Sunflower Oil
4 Tbsp Golden Syrup
For the Icing:
90g Butter (or soft spread)
45g Cocoa Powder
4.5 Tbsp Milk
375g Icing Sugar
Preheat the oven to 160°c (140°c Fan) grease and line a 20 cm loose bottomed, deep cake tin. Or two 20cm sandwich tins.
Mix all the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl.
In a separate bowl, mix together the wet ingredients.
Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and mix thoroughly. Pour into the tin and bake in the oven. The cake will take 45 minutes to an hour, start to check after 45 minutes, the cake is cooked when a skewer, or thin bladed knife comes out clean, and the sides shrink away from the tine slightly. Depending on your oven, it may even take a little longer than an hour.
While the cake is cooling make the fudge icing.
Start by seiving the icing sugar powder. This ensures the icing stays lump free.
Melt the butter in a pan over a low heat. Add in the cocoa powder and cook for 1 minute. Mix in the milk and the icing sugar. Mix vigorously until all of the sugar is incorporated and smooth. Allow to cool and thicken.
When the cake is completely cold place on a plate and slice in half to give you two layers.
Spread a third of the icing over the bottom layer. Place the second layer of the top.
Spread the remaining two thirds of icing over the top and sides of the cake. No need to be too neat, it's easier to finish with a swirly pattern rather than a smooth finish.
Decorate with sprinkles, grated chocolate or whatever you fancy, or leave plain!
Enjoy!
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