Classic Chocolate Cake

Get your chocolate fix with this strikingly simple chocolate cake. 

Who doesn’t love cake? This is a great basic cake recipe that everyone should know. I remember the first time I made a cake, my mum helped but didn't know what to do when the eggs curdled, so we rang my dad (who was at work) and badgered him to instruct us remotely. That cake turned out well and ever since I've remembered the mantra four, four, four, and two (4oz sugar, 4oz butter, 4oz self-raising flour and 2 eggs)  or six, six, six, and three (6oz sugar, 6oz butter, 6oz self-raising flour and 3 eggs) for a sandwich cake, ever since and it has proved invaluable when a cake is needed in short order.

Topping the cake with a simple ganache elevates a simple cake to a whole new level and will impress anyone.

Chocolate Cake

Oven at 170 fan

8" round loose bottomed cake tin

Ingredients

Cake

110g soft butter

110g caster sugar

2 eggs

Pinch of salt

100g self raising flour

25g cocoa powder

Ganache

4tbsp double cream

150g milk chocolate

Preheat the oven to 170 degrees fan.

Grease the cake tin.

Cream (beat with a wooden/silicone spoon) the butter and sugar in a mixing bowl until pale and fluffy.

Add the eggs one at a time and beat into the butter/sugar mix, adding a tablespoon of flour to stop the eggs from curdling.

Sprinkle in the salt.

Sift the rest of the flour and the cocoa powder into the bowl and gently stir everything together so that the mixture is smooth.

Pour the batter into the prepared cake tin and bake for 20 minutes, until a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean.

Turn out onto a wire cooling rack and leave to cool.

If the chocolate isn’t drops or buttons then chop it into small pieces (or put into a sandwich bag and bash with a rolling pin or heavy based saucepan to break it up).

Pour the double cream into a small saucepan and gently heat to just below boiling.

Take off the heat and drop in the chocolate, stirring continuously until it’s smooth and all mixed together.

Leave to cool and thicken a little.

Place the cake on its serving plate and pour over the ganache, spreading it evenly across the top of the cake and letting a little drip down the sides.

Serve and enjoy