A Rich Chocolate Cake

This is my go to chocolate cake. Actually the first thing I baked solo. The recipe is originally from a Dorling Kindersley book for children and was intended to be cut up, rearranged and iced as a dinosaur.


I find it's quick and easy to make, tastes great and the sponge stays moist for days! This should be a staple for any baker!

A slightly uneven and hastily decorated version. But tasty nonetheless!

You will need:

• 100g softened butter or margarine
• 250g caster sugar
• 50g cocoa
• 1tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 225g plain flour
• 2 large eggs
• 1tbsp lemon juice
• 250ml milk

To make:

Preheat oven to 180°c

Grease and line a 22cm deep cake tin

Stir lemon juice into the milk and put aside

Put the butter and half the sugar into a mixing bowl and beat it until pale and fluffy

Beat the eggs into the mixture one at a time (add a small spoon of flour with each egg)

Stir in the rest of the sugar

Sift the flour, soda and cocoa together

Beat in half the milk and fold in half the flour. Add the rest of the milk and flour

Mix until smooth

Pour into the tin and cook for one hour (50mins in fan assisted ovens). Keep checking the cake near the end of the time to avoid a crunch!

Leave on a wire rack to cool

Now this cake could be iced in a variety of ways. Any chocolate icing will to. I usually tend to use a Nigella recipe which makes a really creamy and smooth topping! The quantities below will cover the top and sides of the cake, leaving enough to create an icing layer in the middle. To reduce leftovers, and/or avoid any fuss with creating an inner layer, use half of what's specified below.

You will need:

• 125g dark chocolate
• 75g unsalted butter
• 2 large eggs
• 500g sieved icing sugar
• 1tsp vanilla extract
• 1tbsp dark rum (optional!)

To make:


Melt the chocolate and the butter in a bowl over a pan of hot water. Avoid letting the bottom of the bowl touch the water


Beat in the eggs, then the sugar


Add the extract and the rum (if using)


Leave to cool a little before using.




Any leftover icing can be refrigerated and used on another baking projects!