World's Biggest Coffee Morning: Court's Chocolate Cake

This chocolate cake is a family favourite as it retains the lightness of a sponge cake but the tastiness of chocolate. There’s always room for a second helping. It’s perfect for sharing with friends and family but is always used as a special treat in my house, especially if you’re feeding two tall teenage sons.

I had given up baking after too many disasters but after watching Mary Berry I was inspired to try again. Macmillan Coffee Mornings are a great cause and an excellent opportunity to experiment – everyone is more forgiving. Try this cake, it’s a great recipe for novice bakers and works every time. If your cakes are squint (lopsided), never mind, just add extra butter cream to fill the gaps.

Ingredients

For the cake:

• 2 tablespoons cocoa powder
• 3 tablespoons boiling water
• 225g (8oz) softened butter
• 225g (8oz) caster sugar
• 4 large eggs
• 225g (8oz) self-raising flour
• 2 level teaspoons baking powder

For the buttercream:

• 85g softened butter
• 175g icing sugar
• 2 tablespoons cocoa powder
• 1 tablespoon milk
• Coarsely grated plain chocolate

Recipe

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/Fan 160°C/Gas 4. Grease two 20cm (8in) sandwich tins then line the base of each tin with baking parchment.
2. Blend the cocoa and water in a mixing bowl then leave to cool slightly. Measure all the remaining ingredients into the bowl and beat until thoroughly blended. Divide the mixture evenly between the tins and level out.
3. Bake in the pre-heated oven for about 25 minutes or until well risen and the tops of the cake s spring back when lightly pressed with a finger. Leave to cool in the tins for a few minutes then turn out, peel off the parchment and finish cooling on a wire rack.
4. Mix the butter and icing sugar together until smooth. Then sift in the cocoa powder followed by the milk and mix again until smooth. When the cakes have cooled, use half the butter cream to sandwich the cakes together, then spread the remaining butter cream on top and decorate with grated chocolate.
5. After the initial serving remember to hide some cake for later.

By court, one of our Community Champions.

Why not give it a go and let us know how it turns out?