This cake is fabulous for birthdays or simply because it is a chocolate lover’s dream. It is moist yet light because the recipe calls for oil rather than butter.  I have decorated this one with fresh fruit in the style of the cake on the Great British Bake Off opening credits, but feel free to adapt it. This cake works well as a gluten free option in fact you can’t even tell the difference. I use the Tesco brand of cocoa as it is even more chocolately than other brands.

Ingredients

400 grams / 2 cups caster sugar

218 grams/ 1 ¾ cups plain flour (all purpose)

85 grams /  cup cocoa sieved

1 ½ teaspoons baking powder

1 ½ teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

2 eggs

1 cup milk

¼ cup vegetable or sunflower oil

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

235 millilitres /1 cup boiling water

Method

1. Heat oven to 180°C/350°F. Grease and line two 22 centimetre/ 9 inch round baking pans.
2. Stir together sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt in large bowl. Add eggs, milk, oil and vanilla; beat on medium speed of mixer for two minutes. Stir in boiling water creating a thin batter. Pour batter into prepared pans.
3. Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in centre comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks. Cool completely.

Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

113 grams / ½ cup /1 stick or butter

75 grams /   cup   cocoa sieved

330 grams / 3 cups powdered sugar

80 millilitres/  cup milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. Melt butter. Sieve cocoa. Add the icing sugar, cocoa, butter, vanilla and milk to a mixer bowl and beat to spreading consistency.
2. Add small amount additional milk, if needed.

 

You can also make this as a one pan cake; I use a 20cm/8inch and bake it for about 50 minutes at 180°C/350°F.

Make this cake gluten free by substituting the flour and baking powder with a GF variety. I like Dove’s Farm brand. Remember to include ¼ teaspoon of Xanthum gum.

Adapted from Hersey’s Perfectly Chocolate Chocolate Cake