This simple chocolate cake is now going to be a firm favourite for birthdays and celebrations. It’s also a great one to make with the kids. Apart from the baking it only takes about 20 minutes to make and decorate. I’m not a fan of the typical butter icing that is normally on cakes, so here is one I found in an Anabel Karmel book using sour cream. It gives a really tasty finish. You could also decorate this cake with mini smarties depending on who it is for.
Chocolate Cake
Author: Terry Lyons
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 10
Delicious Chocolate Cake. Perfect for birthdays and special occasions
Ingredients
- 15g cocoa powder mixed with 50ml boiling water
- 175g soft margarine
- 175g caster sugar
- 175g self-raising flour
- 1 ½ tsp baking powder
- 150g plain chocolate (use good quality such as Green & Blacks)
- 220ml double cream, whipped to form soft peaks
- 110ml sour cream
- Chocolate Flakes to decorate
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180 C
- Grease and line two 7” baking tins
- Mix the cocoa, margarine, sugar together and sieve in the flour. Mix together using a hand blender for 2 mins.
- Divide the mixture evenly between the two cake tins and place in the oven for approx. 20-25 mins. Test by inserting a cocktail stick or a metal skewer into centre of the cake. It should come out clean.
- Remove from the oven, allow to cool, and then place on wire racks.
- To make the icing, melt the chocolate in a glass bowl over boiling water. When melted, fold in the sour cream, and then the whipped cream. Allow to cool slightly.
- To assemble, put some of the mix on top of one of the cakes. Place the other cake on top and cover completely with the chocolate mix. Smooth with a palate knife and top with crumbled flake.
- Chill for a couple of hours to allow the icing to set.
I made this cake last night for a family get together today.. it was def very easy to make; and was very rich.. kids not mad about it (not sweet enough) but a hit with the adults.. wonder if you could add sugar to the icing to sweeten it up a bit?
Hi Fiona,
Glad you liked it. Those kids must have sweet teeth!!
You could use less sour cream and more double cream and add a couple of tablespoons of icing sugar to the mix.
It could also depend on the chocolate you used. If you used a strong dark chocolate (70% or greater) it may have been a bit too bitter for the kids. You could try using Milk Chocolate (again a good quality one), which would be sweeter.
Or you could use a more traditional chocolate icing made with icing sugar, butter and cocoa powder (this one is good http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/1935652/ )
Enjoy,
Terry