This will become your favourite chocolate cake recipe – it is the best! It is speedy to make and the easy filling doubles as an icing. The cake is moist and has a ‘grown-up’ chocolate flavour.
INGREDIENTS
- 175 g / 6 oz Unsalted butter, softened, plus extra for greasing
- 175 g / 6 oz Golden caster sugar
- 3 Eggs, beaten
- 3 tbsp Golden syrup
- 40 g / 1 1/2 oz Self-raising flour, pinch of salt
- 40 g / 1 1/2 oz Cocoa powder
ICING
- 225 g / 8 oz Plain chocolate, broken into pieces
- 55 g / 2 oz Dark muscovado sugar
- 225 g / 8 oz Unsalted butter, diced
- 5 tbsp Evaporated milk
- 1/2 tsp Vanilla extract
INSTRUCTION
Preheat the oven to 180°C / 350°F / Gas Mark 4. Grease and line the base of two 20-cm / 8-inch sandwich tins.
To make the icing, place the chocolate, muscovado sugar, butter, evaporated milk and vanilla extract in a heavy-based saucepan. Heat gently, stirring constantly, until melted. Pour into a bowl and leave to cool. Cover and chill in the refrigerator for 1 hour, or until spreadable.
For the cake, place the butter and caster sugar in a bowl and beat together until light and fluffy. Gradually beat in the eggs. Stir in the golden syrup and ground almonds. Sift the flour, salt and cocoa powder into a bowl, then fold into the mixture. Add a little water, if necessary, to make a dropping consistency.
Spoon the mixture into the prepared tins and bake in the preheated oven for 30 – 35 minutes,or until springy to touch and a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean.
Leave the cakes in the tins for 5 minutes, then turn out onto wire racks to cool completely. When the cakes are cold, sandwich them together with half the icing. Spread the remaining icing over the top and sides of the cake, swirling it to give a frosted appearance.
Making & Baking 