Our favourite chocolate cake recipe
Serves 8 | 30 mins baking time | preheat the oven to 180oC, fan 160oC, gas 4
For the cake
• 1tbsp lemon juice • 250ml milk • 125g softened butter • 250g caster sugar • 250g self-raising flour • 3 eggs • 50g cocoa powder
For the frosting
• 75g softened butter • 50g cocoa powder • 200g icing sugar • 2tbsp water
Method
1. Line a cake tin with baking parchment, wetting beforehand so it moulds to the tin easier. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees.
2. Add the lemon juice to the milk and put aside (in America this is called buttermilk and it keeps this cake light and fluffy).
3. Cream the butter and sugar then add the eggs one at a time. Sift in the flour and cocoa. Add the soured milk and blend again until smooth. Do not over mix the cake or it will be rubbery.
4. Bake for 30 minutes or until the cake is well risen and springy to the touch.
5. This cake is best made the day before and wrapped well as it needs to cool completely before you ice it.
6. To make the icing, melt the butter, cocoa and sugar together in a saucepan and then add the water. The topping should be thick enough to ice the top and the side of the cake. It will then need about 3 hours to set. If the icing is not thick enough add some more cocoa. Remember though this icing is supposed to be slightly runnier than butter icing as it sets with a slight gloss.
