DEAD-EASY CHOCOLATE CAKE

Ingredients

For the cake

1 1/3 cups (200g) self-raising flour

5 tbsp (25g) cocoa powder, sifted

125ml full-fat milk

1¼ cups, firmly packed (250g) brown sugar

125g butter, at room temperature

2 eggs

2 tspns vanilla essence

2/3 cup (160ml) water

50g unsalted butter, melted

For the icing

1/3 cup (80ml) pouring cream

150g good-quality dark chocolate, chopped

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 170°C. Brush a 20 cm round cake pan with melted butter to grease and line the base with non-stick baking paper.
2. Place all cake ingredients in a large bowl and beat with electric beaters on high for 2 – 4 minutes or until pale and silky smooth. Pour into prepared pan and smooth the surface with the back of a spoon.
3. Bake for 50–55 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Stand cake in pan for 5 minutes before turning onto a wire rack to cool.
4. To make the chocolate glaze, heat the cream in a small saucepan until almost simmering. Pour cream over chocolate in heatproof bowl and set aside for 1 minute. Stir until smooth. Pour over cake, spreading over top of cake if necessary and letting glaze run down the sides. Allow the glaze to firm before cutting.
Serves 8 - 10
CAKE VARIATIONS
Double chocolate cake
Stir 100g chopped good-quality dark chocolate through the cake mixture before pouring into pan.
Chocolate raisin cake
Soak ½ cup (95g) raisins in 2 tbsp warmed brandy for 30 minutes. Fold raisins and any remaining brandy into cake mixture before pouring into pan.
Berry chocolate cake
Gently fold 200g fresh or thawed raspberries or blackberries through cake mixture before pouring into pan.

Never Lose Track of Your Favorite Recipes.