Everyone loves a chocolate cake

I began my baking career backward. I have found that I started with the different things and it is only now, a year on that I am starting to wish I knew all the basics by heart. It started with the slices and now I'm onto the cakes.

I am ashamed to admit that I have never made a chocolate cake. That scares me. Just a basic chocolate cake. Everyone loves a chocolate cake.

So I made one. However, I wouldn't be Carly if I made it easy. I thought, why not make a custard icing? I love custard. 

I also found a packet of freeze dried raspberries in my pantry and figured there must be a use for these in my cake too, the flavour is intense and sweet; a perfect accompaniment to rich chocolate.

Now before you say "ew, custard icing", just give it a try. It eliminates that sickly sweet texture you can sometimes get from chocolate icing. It was heavy and rich which complemented the light and fluffy cake. A very sophisticated take on a simple chocolate cake. And much to my relief, everyone thought it tasted fantastic!

Try it for yourself and tell me what you thought...

Chocolate Cake:

120g Butter
280g Caster Sugar
2 Eggs
1/2 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
50g Cocoa Powder
1 teaspoon Baking Powder
1 teaspoon Bi-carb Soda

A pinch Salt
180g Plain Flour
170ml Whole Milk

icing;
500g caster sugar
1 tablespoon golden syrup
125g cocoa powder
200g cornflour
90g butter
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. Preheat oven to 170 degrees Celcius

2. Mix butter and sugar in a mixer on med-high until light and fluffy.

3. Turn mixer to low and add eggs. Mix until combined.

4. Beat in vanilla. cocoa, baking powder, bi-carb and salt until smooth.

5. Add the milk and flour alternately until well combined.

6. Divide between two prepared cake tins and bake for approx 30 mins. Until knife comes out with slight crumbs.

7. Leave cakes to cool in tin until room temperature then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

8. For icing; In a medium saucepan, mix sugar, golden syrup, cocoa and 600ml water then bring the the boil on a medium heat. Whisk regularly. Separately, mix the cornflour with 170ml water, it will be reasonably tough and sticky but still mixable. If too thick add a small amount of extra water. Add the cornflour mixture to the saucepan whisking while pouring and return to the boil. Cook, while whisking, until consistency is thick. Remove from heat, add vanilla and butter then pour into a bowl and chill until firm.

9. Spread the icing over the base cake then add the second cake on top. Cover with icing.

10. I decorated with freeze dried raspberries, but you can add almost whatever you would like as a garnish on your delicious cake.

Happy Baking!!!...