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Chocolate cake recipe

BY READERS DIGEST

1st Jan 2015 Recipes

Chocolate cake recipe
Perfect for a birthday or afternoon tea, make a delicious chocolate layer cake by following these five simple steps.
Preparation time: 25 minutes
Cooking time: 30 minutes
Makes: 20 cm/8 inch layer cake

INGREDIENTS

For the cake:
  • 100 g/4 oz butter or margarine
  • 100 g/4 oz caster sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 100g/4 oz self-raising flour
  • 30 ml/2 tablespoons cocoa
For the filling:
  • 40 g/1½ oz butter or margarine
  • 75 g/3 oz icing sugar
  • 10 ml/2 teaspoons coffee essence
  • 15 ml/1 tablespoon milk

RECIPE METHOD

  1. Base line and grease two 18 cm/7 inch sandwich tins.
  2. Beat the butter until soft, then add the sugar and cream the mixture until light and fluffy. Beat the eggs before beating them into the mixture, a little at a time, adding a little of the measured flour to prevent the mixture curdling. Sift the remaining flour and cocoa together, then fold the mixture into the cake using a metal spoon.
  3. Turn the cake mixture into the prepared tins, level the surface and bake in a preheated oven at 160°C/325°F/gas 3 for about 30 minutes or until well risen and springy to the touch.
  4. Meanwhile, make the filling. Beat the butter until soft and creamy, sift the icing sugar and beat it in a little at a time. Stir in the coffee essence and milk.
  5. Turn the cake on to a wire rack, and remove the lining paper. Leave to cool. Cut the cold cake in half horizontally, and spread the bottom half with the filling; place the top in position and lightly press the two halves together. Dust the top with sifted icing sugar. Using the back of a knife blade, draw a lattice pattern across the sugar.
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