How to bake the ultimate chocolate celebration cake

Can anything beat chocolate cake for dessert when you’re planning a celebration? Gooey, rich and sooo moist, this extreme chocolate cake recipe makes a fantastic birthday cake. I don’t know about you but I can’t be doing with a dry sponge in a chocolate cake – it’s got to be fudgey and soft, covered in a chocolate buttercream icing. Essentially it needs to be one of those cakes where you just can’t finish the slice because it’s too rich. Mmm…

The silky chocolate icing and the chocolate flakes on the top give it an irresistible appearance. Simply pop a few cake candles or mini sparklers in the top and you’re ready to celebrate that special occasion.

Preparation time: 30 min, baking time: 35 min, servings: 12-13, calories: 655 cals

INGREDIENTS

• 2 cups sugar
• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup milk

FOR THE ICING

• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 cup boiling water
• 3/4 cup butter
• 1 1/2 cups unsweetened cocoa powder
• 5 1/3 cups icing sugar
• 2/3 cup milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

METHOD

1. The first thing you should is to preheat the oven to 175 degrees C. Then grease and flour two 9 inch cake pans.
2. Take a medium-size bowl and stir together the flour, cocoa, salt, sugar, baking soda and baking powder. Then add the eggs, milk, oil and vanilla and mix it well for 3- 4 minutes with an electric mixer. Stir in the boiling water by hand.
3. Poured the mixture into the two prepared pans and bake for 30-35 minutes in the preheated oven, until a toothpick comes out clean.
4. Cool the cakes in their pans for around 10 to 15 minutes before removing them from the tins.
5. Next thing to do is to make the icing. Cream the butter until it becomes light and fluffy, then stir in the cocoa and icing sugar alternately with the milk and vanilla. Beat it to spreading consistency.
6. Cover the top of each layer of the cake with the chocolate buttercream. Stack all the layers onto a serving plate, then cover the outside layer of the cake with the icing and sprinkle on dark chocolate flakes.

The rich, moist extreme chocolate cake is ready to serve for a decadent birthday celebration, anniversary dessert or special occasion. Let me know if you try out this recipe in the comments below and please share your own secret recipes for making the best icing or chocolate sponge – I’d love to hear your ideas!