Ingredients for the cake
225g/8oz plain flour
350g/12½oz caster sugar
85g/3oz cocoa powder
1½ tsp baking powder
1½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
2 free-range eggs
250ml/9fl oz milk
125ml/4½fl oz vegetable oil
2 tsp vanilla extract
250ml/9fl oz boiling water
Ingredients for the chocolate icing
200g/7oz plain chocolate
200ml/7fl oz double cream
How to make a chocolate cake:
- .Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4.Grease and line two 20cm/8in sandwich tins..For the cake ,place all of the cake ingredients,except the boiling water,into a large mixing bowl.Using a wooden spoon,or electric whisk,beat the mixture until smooth and well combined.
- .Add the boiling hot water to the mixture,a little at a time, until smooth.(The cake mixture will now be very liquid.)
- .Divide the cake batter between the sandwich tins and bake in the oven for 25-35 minutes, or until the top is firm to the touch and a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean.
- .Remove the cakes from the oven and allow to cool completely, still in their tins, before icing.
- .For the chocolate icing, heat the chocolate and cream in a saucepan over a low heat until the chocolate melts. Remove the pan from the heat and whisk the mixture until smooth, glossy and thickened. Set aside to cool for 1-2 hours, or until thick enough to spread over the cake.
- .To assemble the cake, run a round-bladed knife around the inside of the cake tins to loosen the cakes. Carefully remove the cakes from the tins.
- .Spread a little chocolate icing over the top of one of the chocolate cakes, then carefully top with the other cake.
- .Transfer the cake to a serving plate and ice the cake all over with the chocolate icing, using a palette knife.
- Ingredients
- 125g butter, softened
- 100g light brown soft sugar
125g caster sugar
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 tsp vanilla extract
225g self-raising flour
½ tsp salt
200g chocolate chips
For the buttercream icing
140g/5oz butter, softened
280g/10oz icing sugar
1-2 tbsp milk
a few drops food colouring
How to make a chocolate chip cupcake:
.Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4 and line a 12-hole muffin tin with paper cases.
.Cream the butter and sugar together in a bowl until pale. Beat in the eggs a little at a time and stir in the vanilla extract.
.Fold in the flour using a large metal spoon, adding a little milk until the mixture is of a dropping consistency. Spoon the mixture into the paper cases until they are half full.
.Bake in the oven for 10-15 minutes, or until golden-brown on top and a skewer inserted into one of the cakes comes out clean. Set aside to cool for 10 minutes, then remove from the tin and cool on a wire rack.
.For the buttercream icing, beat the butter in a large bowl until soft. Add half the icing sugar and beat until smooth.
.Then add the remaining icing sugar with one tablespoon of the milk, adding more milk if necessary, until the mixture is smooth and creamy.
.Add the food colouring and mix until well combined.
.Spoon the icing into a piping bag with a star nozzle and pipe the icing using a spiralling motion onto the cup cakes in a large swirl.