08 December 2023 , 12:15
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Chocolate cake is one of those treats you simply never tire of.
If you're wanting to put your baking skills to the test this Christmas, there's one recipe you have to try. It is 'wonderfully moist', requires only six ingredients - and takes around half an hour from start to finish.
Foodie and blogger Rachel Page, aka Marmalade and Me, says this trick to this decadent sponge is to use the correct sized tins, and to weigh out your ingredients carefully.
"Making a perfect, easy chocolate cake is not difficult, but precision is a big factor," she said. "Baking is more about science than art. This chocolate cake is light, fluffy, moist and tastes wonderfully chocolatey. It keeps well in an airtight container but is at its peak of gorgeousness on the day that you lovingly made it."
Ingredients
- Soft butter (275g) - don't use low fat or 'spreadable' margarine
- Caster sugar (275g)
- Self raising flour (250g)
- 2tbsp of cocoa powder
- 1tbpsp golden syrup
- 5 eggs
Method
- Preheat your oven to 180C or gas mark four. If you have a fan oven, you'll need a slightly cooler temperature of 160C.
- Line two 20cm (8inch) tins with two circles of baking parchment. Use the base of the tin to draw around for the perfect size. Then, grease the base and sides of the tin with soft butter or margerine and 'stick' the baking parchment inside the two tins.
- In a bowl, beat together the soft butter and caster sugar until it is light, fluffy, and lightened in colour. If you're using an electric whisk, this will take around five minutes, but will take longer if mixing by hand.
- Break each egg individually into a cup. This allows you to check if any eggs have gone bad, or if any pesky bits of shell have fallen in. Add each egg, one at a time, to the mixture.
- Weight the self-raising flour into a bowl and this to the mixture along with the cocoa powder. Beat until everything is well combined, and use a spatula to 'clean' the edges of the bowl.
- Add the golden syrup. You can use a teaspoon to ease the sticky stuff off the tablespoon, but if you have a gas hob - try warming the spoon over the flame for a few seconds. This will make the golden syrup slide off.
- Divide the mixture between the two tins and bake in the oven for around 20-25 minutes. The centre should be springy to the touch. Make sure you allow the cakes to cool in their tins for a few minutes, waiting for the edges to have shrunk in a little.
- Run a sharp knife around the edge of the tins and fully release them. Let them cool down fully on a rack.
Et volia! A chocolate cake perfect for the whole family. If you want to make a chocolate icing to decorate, check out this recipe.
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