My 'Whip it up quickly' Chocolate Cake

Occasionally I need to whip up a cake at short notice and as I am not one to present people with a cake that does anything other than make them salivate on viewing it, I tend to have this on standby.

 

8oz Unsalted Butter or Margerine (I use stork)

8oz Caster Sugar

4 Medium Eggs (or in my case 2 medium eggs and 3 bantam eggs)

 

Please note that bantam eggs are like rocking horse poo (virtually impossible to aquire) unless you know someone who keeps bantams or you keep them yourself, If you are lucky enough to fall into one of the latter two categories, when baking I follow the rule of thumb that 3 bantams eggs is equvalent to 2 medium eggs and so far it has not failed me.

 

7oz self raising flour

1oz really good cocoa (I use green and blacks but you can use whatever brand you like)

1 tbsp of milk

1tsp of instant disolved in 1 tbsp of hot water

1/2 tsp vanilla bean paste (or something else vanilla-esque eg essence)

1 tub of betty crocker vanilla fudge frosting

 

My method uses a free standing mixer but I will write the instructions as though by hand because I am aware that not everyone is lucky enough to have one or bakes enough to justify the expanse of buying one.

Prepare 2x 8inch sandwich tins and preheat the oven at gas mark 5 or equivalent temp

• Cream together the sugar and butter til it is light and fluffy (this can take a while and an electric hand whisk can be your friend here).
 
• Add the eggs and 1 tbsp of the flour and whisk until fully combined (the flour stops the mixture curdling which can effect the rise of the finished cake).
 
• Add the disolved instant coffee and vanilla bean paste.
 
• Sift the remaining flour and cocoa powder together into the wet mix and combine using a folding action (please google this if you arent sure as its important to keep the air inside the cake and avoid over working the flour.
 
• When the mixture is fully combined, divide between the sandwich tins and level the mixture using a spatula.
 
• Bake for approx 25-35 mins (this depends greatly on your oven) to check if the sponge is cooked insert a skewer (i use a bamboo one) into the centre of the cake and if it comes out clean the cake is cooked. If you dont have a skewer press the top of the sponge gently with a clean finger and if it springs back it is cooked, if it gives slightly it needs to go back in the oven. If your cake is not cooked return it to the oven for 4-5 mins then check again (it can go from uncooked to over done in less than 5 mins)
 
• Allow to cool in the tins for around 10 mins, then turn them out onto a wire cooling rack, it is important to have them on a rack like this because it allows the air to circulate under the cake allowing for even cooling and avoiding a steam build up within the cake which can effect the final product.

• When the cakes are cooled fully smear a little of the frosting onto the surface of your plate or cake stand to stop your cake sliding off. put the least pretty cake on the bottom with the top facing up. smear with the frosting and pop the second cake on top in the same way. Top with the frosting and decorate to suit you. I used fresh strawberrys with mine but you can use anything you like. A cadburys flake crumbled up or some malteasers dotted around the edge might be nice... or both! Whatever its up to you, have fun with it! If its fun to make then it will be fun to eat!