Cake. It’s so good. Whether you like it layered, topped with cream, filled with jam, sugar free, gluten free, raw, vegan, fruity, nutty, dark, light, iced- it’s all good. There are different cakes for different occasions or to meet different needs, and most people will have a favourite. My favourite cake that I make is my chocolate cake. I’ll make it for a special birthday, for dessert with friends, or if I feel indulgent and just want to have it on hand as a treat once the day is done.

This is my favourite cake as I love chocolate. I love the smell it makes when it is melted and when baked. I love it’s deep colour and gloss. I love seeing the enjoyment people have when eating my chocolate cake- it makes me feel happy, and that all is right with the world.

This cake is rich and dark and moorish. I make it with raw cacao powder, good quality coffee and good quality, high percentage cocoa chocolate. Depending on the occasion I’ll ice it with dark chocolate ganache, but for today’s recipe I have just sprinkled it with icing sugar- for ease, and to make it a little sweeter for those not too keen on very dark chocolate.

I hope you enjoy this loving, easy food.

THE CHOCOLATE CAKE

250g butter (cubed)

200g dark cooking chocolate (broken into chunks)

375mL strong coffee

300g raw sugar (you could increase the amount of sugar if you want the cake to be sweeter, but no more than 450g)

100g plain flour

100g self raising flour

1tsp baking powder

4Tbsp cacao powder (you could use cocoa powder if that’s what you have and are familiar with)

2 eggs

2tsp vanilla extract

Icing sugar to sift over once done

Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius

Grease and line a 25cm springform tin

Place the butter, chocolate and coffee in a saucepan over low heat and cook until the chocolate has melted. Add the sugar and stir until dissolved. Remove this from the heat and pour into a bowl

Whisk in the dry ingredients 

Add the vanilla and eggs and whisk to combine

Pour the batter in to the tin and bake for 1 hour 

Once the cake has cooled and has been turned out of the tin sift icing sugar on top to cover the surface

Enjoy with icecream or double cream