Moist Chocolate Birthday Cake Food

SUPER MOIST CHOCOLATE CAKE

Steps:

• Mix together dry ingredients.
• Combine wet ingredients in a separate bowl.
• Combine dry and wet ingredients together (I gently whisk them together with a fork).
• Transfer mixture to a greased cake pan or cupcake tins. (Mixture usually fits one 13" x 9" pan or two 8" or 9" round pans.).
• Bake at 350 degrees F for approximately 30 minutes. (Bake for approximately 15 minutes if making cupcakes).
• Set aside to cool before frosting.
• To begin the Chocolate Cocoa Frosting beat powdered sugar and butter until blended. (If using an electric mixer, use low speed).
• Stir in vanilla extract and cocoa powder.
• Gradually beat in just enough milk to make frosting smooth and spreadable. If frosting becomes too thin, add more powdered sugar.

BIG CHOCOLATE BIRTHDAY CAKE

Steps:

• For the cake: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Heavily grease and dust with cocoa four 9-inch round cake pans.
• In a mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugar and salt.
• In a saucepan, melt the butter. Add the cocoa. Stir together. Add the boiling water, allow the mixture to boil for 30 seconds and then turn off the heat. Pour over the flour mixture and stir lightly to cool.
• Combine the buttermilk, baking soda, vanilla and beaten eggs. Stir the buttermilk mixture into the butter/chocolate mixture.
• Divide the batter among the prepared cake pans and bake for 20 minutes.
• Cool completely before icing. Refrigerate the layers after cooling for best results.
• For the frosting: Heat the cream until very hot, and then pour over the chocolate pieces. Stir to completely melt, and then pour into the bowl of an electric mixer. Refrigerate to cool.
• Once completely cooled, add the vanilla and beat with an electric mixer until light and airy.
• Frost the cake in between each layer, on the top and around the sides.

DARK CHOCOLATE CAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F.
• Grease and flour two 9 inch round baking pans or one 13x9 inch pan.
• In large mixer bowl, stir together dry ingredients.
• Add eggs, milk, oil, and vanilla; beat on medium speed for 2 minutes.
• Stir in boiling water by hand (batter will be thin). NOTE: I have tried it with 1/2 cup, 2/3 cup and 3/4 cup boiling water and we prefer it with less than 1 cup water. I usually use between 2/3 & 3/4 cups. The cake is still very moist but it doesn't seem to "fall" as much as it cools. This might have to do with our high humidity or brand of flour or other factors so I don't know if it will work for everyone.
• Pour into prepared pan.
• Bake 30 to 35 minutes for round 9-inch pans, 35 to 40 minutes for rectangular pan or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. (Do not use 8-inch pans or the batter will overflow.).
• Because they have a tendency to overflow if you fill them more than 2/3 full, I usually get about 27-28 cupcakes per batch. Bake for approximately 18-20 minutes.
• Cool 10 minutes; remove from pan to wire racks.
• Please note: baking cocoa isn't hot chocolate drink mix! Baking cocoa contains no sugar and it is found on the baking aisle. Chocolate drink mixes that you add to milk or water to drink WILL NOT work in this recipe.

ULTIMATE CHOCOLATE CAKE

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 160C/fan 140C/gas 3. Butter and line a 20cm round cake tin (7.5cm deep).
• Put 200g chopped dark chocolate in a medium pan with 200g butter.
• Mix 1 tbsp instant coffee granules into 125ml cold water and pour into the pan.
• Warm through over a low heat just until everything is melted - don't overheat. Or melt in the microwave for about 5 minutes, stirring halfway through.
• Mix 85g self-raising flour, 85g plain flour, ¼ tsp bicarbonate of soda, 200g light muscovado sugar, 200g golden caster sugar and 25g cocoa powder, and squash out any lumps.
• Beat 3 medium eggs with 75ml buttermilk.
• Pour the melted chocolate mixture and the egg mixture into the flour mixture and stir everything to a smooth, quite runny consistency.
• Pour this into the tin and bake for 1hr 25 - 1hr 30 mins. If you push a skewer into the centre it should come out clean and the top should feel firm (don't worry if it cracks a bit).
• Leave to cool in the tin (don't worry if it dips slightly), then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely. Cut the cold cake horizontally into three.
• To make the ganache, put 200g chopped dark chocolate in a bowl. Pour 300ml double cream into a pan, add 2 tbsp golden caster sugar and heat until it is about to boil.
• Take off the heat and pour it over the chocolate. Stir until the chocolate has melted and the mixture is smooth. Cool until it is a little thicker but still pourable.
• Sandwich the layers together with just a little of the ganache. Pour the rest over the cake letting it fall down the sides and smooth over any gaps with a palette knife.
• Decorate with 50g grated chocolate or 100g chocolate curls. The cake keeps moist and gooey for 3-4 days.

MOIST DEVIL'S FOOD CAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350 degrees. Arrange two racks in center of oven. Butter three 8-by-2-inch round cake pans; line bottoms with parchment. Dust bottoms and sides of pans with cocoa powder; tap out any excess. Sift cocoa into a medium bowl, and whisk in boiling water. Set aside to cool.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter on low speed until light and fluffy. Gradually beat in sugar until light and fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes, scraping down sides twice. Beat in vanilla. Drizzle in eggs, a little at a time, beating between each addition until the batter is no longer slick, scraping down the sides twice.
• In a large bowl, sift together flour, baking soda, and salt. Whisk milk into reserved cocoa mixture. With mixer on low speed, alternately add flour and cocoa mixtures to the batter, a little of each at a time, starting and ending with flour mixture.
• Divide batter evenly among the three prepared pans. Bake until a cake tester inserted into center of each layer comes out clean, 35 to 45 minutes, rotating the pans for even baking. Transfer layers to wire racks; let cool, 15 minutes. Turn out cakes, and return to racks, tops up, until completely cool.
• Remove parchment from bottoms of cakes. Reserve the prettiest layer for the top. Place one cake layer on a serving platter; spread 1 1/2 cups chocolate frosting over the top. Add the second cake layer, and spread with another 1 1/2 cups frosting. Top with third cake layer. Cover outside of cake with the remaining 3 cups frosting. Serve.

THE BEST CHOCOLATE CAKE RECIPE {EVER}

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350º F. Prepare two 9-inch cake pans by spraying with baking spray or buttering and lightly flouring.

CHOCOLATE MAYONNAISE CAKE

Steps:

• For cake:
• Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter and flour three 8-inch-diameter cake pans with 1 1/2-inch-high sides. Combine chopped chocolate and cocoa powder in medium metal bowl. Add 1 3/4 cups boiling water and whisk until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth.
• Sift flour, baking soda, and baking powder into another medium bowl.Using electric mixer, beat both sugars and mayonnaise in large bowl until well blended, 2 to 3 minutes. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating until well blended after each addition. Beat in vanilla. Add flour mixture in 4 additions alternately with chocolate mixture in 3 additions, beating until blended after each addition and occasionally scraping down sides of bowl. Divide batter among prepared cake pans (about 2 1/3 cups for each).
• Bake cakes until tester inserted into center comes out clean, 30 to 32 minutes. Cool cakes in pans on racks 20 minutes. Run small knife around sides of cakes to loosen. Carefully invert cakes onto racks and let cool completely.
• For frosting:
• Place chopped chocolate in medium metal bowl; set bowl over saucepan of simmering water and stir until chocolate is melted and smooth. Carefully remove bowl from over water; let melted chocolate cool until lukewarm, stirring occasionally.
• Using electric mixer, beat butter in large bowl until smooth and creamy. Sift powdered sugar over butter and beat until well blended, about 2 minutes. Beat in vanilla. Add melted chocolate and beat until well blended and smooth, occasionally scraping down sides of bowl.
• Place 1 cake layer on platter. Spread 3/4 cup frosting over top of cake layer to edges. Top with second cake layer; spread 3/4 cup frosting over. Top with third cake layer. Spread remaining frosting decoratively over top and sides of cake. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover with cake dome and let stand at room temperature.
• Cut cake into wedges and serve.

CHOCOLATE FUDGE CAKE

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4. Line 2 x deep 20cm springform cake tins with baking paper. Stir together the flour and cocoa in a bowl. Melt the chocolate, sugar and butter with 100ml water in a pan until smooth, then leave to cool.
• Once cooled, transfer to a mixing bowl and whisk in the eggs one by one until combined, followed by the vanilla extract. Slowly whisk the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir until fully combined.
• Divide the batter between the cake tins and bake for 30 minutes or until a skewer poked into the middles comes out clean. It may crack a little on top but this will be covered by the icing. Leave to cool.
• To make the buttercream, use electric beaters to whisk together the icing sugar and butter for 5 minutes or until light and fluffy. Mix in the melted chocolate until smooth and the buttercream becomes spreadable. Put a thick layer of buttercream on top of one of the cakes, then sandwich the other sponge on top. Spread another thick layer on top, then use the rest to cover the sides. Leave to set in the fridge for 20 minutes.
• To make the topping, use a large knife or peeler to scrape across the surface of the chocolate to create curls and shards. Use these to top the cake along with a light dusting of cocoa powder.

CHOCOLATE KETO CAKE

Steps:

• *For a double layer cake, simply double the recipe and bake in two 8-inch pans. I listed a few keto frosting ideas above in the post. And if you're a visual person, be sure to check out the recipe video above!Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease an 8-inch pan, and line with parchment. Stir all ingredients together very well, then spread into the pan. If needed, use a second sheet of parchment to smooth down. Bake 14 minutes on the center rack (some ovens require more baking time, so continue cooking until firm if needed). Let cool completely before frosting. If you try the recipe, please feel free to leave a comment or rate it below!View Nutrition Facts

EASY MOIST CHOCOLATE CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F (176°C) and prepare a 9×13 inch cake pan with non-stick baking spray. 2.
• Add the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder and salt to a large mixer bowl and combine. Set aside. 3
• Add the milk, vegetable oil, vanilla extract and eggs to a medium sized bowl and combine. 4
• Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and beat until well combined. 5
• Slowly add the hot water to the batter and mix on low speed until well combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed to make sure everything is well combined. 6
• Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan and bake for 29-32 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs. 7
• Remove cake from oven and allow to cool. 8
• To make the frosting, combine the butter and shortening in a large mixer bowl and mix until smooth. 9
• Add 2 cups of powdered sugar and mix until smooth. 1
• . Add the vanilla extract and 3 tablespoons of water or milk and mix until smooth. 1
• . Add remaining powdered sugar and cocoa and mix until smooth. 1
• . Add remaining water or milk as needed and mix until smooth, keeping an eye on the consistency of the frosting so it doesn't get too thin. 13.
• Beat frosting on medium speed for 2-3 minutes until it has lightened in color and gotten fluffy. 14.
• Spread frosting evenly onto the cake. Top with sprinkles, if desired.

CHOCOLATE BIRTHDAY CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees and spray 3 9 inch round pans with non-stick baking spray.
• Add eggs and sugar to bowl of your stand mixer and beat on high speed for 2-3 minutes.
• While mixture beats, add cocoa powder, instant coffee powder and salt to hot water. Add to eggs and sugar.
• Next slow down mixer and add flour, baking soda, and baking powder then add vegetable oil, buttermilk and vanilla extract to the mixer and beat until just combined. Batter will be sort of thin but this is normal.
• Evenly add cake batter to all three pans and bake for 22-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
• Allow to rest for 10 minutes before removing from pans to cool completely.
• Add butter, confectioner's sugar and cocoa powder to bowl of mixer and mix on high speed until smooth.
• Lastly add in vanilla extract and milk until frosting is fluffy and smooth.
• Frost each layer of cake with frosting then frost the entire cake and serve.

TRIPLE CHOCOLATE LAYER CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Grease two 9-inch cake pans, line with parchment paper, then grease the parchment paper. Parchment paper helps the cakes seamlessly release from the pans.
• Whisk the flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and espresso powder (if using) together in a large bowl. Set aside. Using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment (or you can use a whisk) mix the oil, eggs, and vanilla together on medium-high speed until combined. Add the buttermilk and mix until combined. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, add the hot water/coffee, and whisk or beat on low speed until the batter is completely combined. Batter is thin.
• Divide batter evenly between pans. Bake for 23-26 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Baking times vary, so keep an eye on yours. The cakes are done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. (Note: Even if they're completely done, the cooled cakes may *slightly* sink in the center. Cocoa powder is simply not as structurally strong as all-purpose flour and can't hold up to all the moisture necessary to make a moist tasting chocolate cake. It's normal!)
• Remove the cakes from the oven and set on a wire rack. Allow to cool completely in the pan.
• With a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium speed until creamy - about 2 minutes. Add confectioners' sugar, cocoa powder, 3 Tablespoons heavy cream, salt, and vanilla extract. Beat on low speed for 30 seconds, then increase to high speed and beat for 1 full minute. Do not over-whip. Add 1/4 cup more confectioners' sugar or cocoa powder if frosting is too thin or 1-2 more Tablespoons of cream if frosting is too thick. (I usually add 1 more.) Taste. Add another pinch of salt if desired.
• If cooled cakes are domed on top, use a large serrated knife to slice a thin layer off the tops to create a flat surface. This is called "leveling" the cakes. Discard or crumble over finished cake. Place 1 cake layer on your cake stand or serving plate. Evenly cover the top with frosting. Top with 2nd layer and spread remaining frosting all over the top and sides. I always use an icing spatula and bench scraper for the frosting. Garnish with chocolate chips, if desired.
• Refrigerate cake for at least 30-60 minutes before slicing. This helps the cake hold its shape when cutting.
• Cover leftover cake tightly and store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

DAIRY FREE CHOCOLATE CAKE

Steps:

• In a large mixing bowl whisk together flour, sugar, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
• Add black coffee, oil, eggs, and vanilla. Mix until smooth. It should look very thin and liquidy.
• Preheat oven to 350ºF or 175ºC.
• Line the bottom of two 9-inch round cake pans with parchment paper. Distribute cake batter evenly between the pans.
• Wrap a wet baking strips around each pan for flatter cakes if desired. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until a toothpick or cake tester inserted in the center of the chocolate cake comes out clean.
• Let cool for 10 minutes. Then carefully run a knife around the edge of the pans to release the cakes. Remove from the pan and cool completely on a cooling rack.
• Use a bread knife to level cakes. Frost with dairy free chocolate frosting.

MOIST CHOCOLATE BIRTHDAY CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line three 8-inch cake pans with parchment paper. Grease the pans and dust with cocoa powder.
• Sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt in a bowl. Set aside.
• Beat butter, dark brown sugar, and white sugar together in a bowl using an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add egg yolks one at a time, scraping down the bowl after each addition. Beat on medium-high until fluffy.
• Pour melted chocolate and vanilla extract into the bowl with the sugar mixture; mix on low speed until combined. Alternate adding flour mixture and buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour mixture, mixing on low speed. Pour in coffee slowly in a steady stream; mix on low speed until smooth.
• Use an electric mixer to beat egg whites in a separate bowl until stiff peaks form. Fold gently into batter. Divide batter evenly between the 3 prepared cake pans.
• Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the centers comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes, making sure not to overbake. Let cool in pans for 10 minutes; turn out onto waxed paper to cool completely before frosting.

WHITE CHOCOLATE CAKE

Steps:

• Heat milk and chocolate until melted and combined, cool to room temperature.*
• Preheat oven to 350F. Grease and flour three 6" cake rounds and line with parchment.
• In a medium bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, and salt until well combined. Set aside.
• Using a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream butter and sugar on med-high until pale and fluffy (approx 3mins). Reduce speed and add eggs one at a time fully incorporating after each addition. Add vanilla.
• Alternate adding flour mixture and milk mixture, beginning and ending with flour (4 additions of flour and 3 of milk). Fully incorporating after each addition.
• Bake for about 40mins or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out mostly clean.
• Place cakes on wire rack to cool for 10mins then turn out onto wire rack and cool completely.
• Place egg whites and sugar into the bowl of a stand mixer, whisk until combined.**
• Place bowl over a pot with 1-2" of simmering water and stir constantly with a whisk until the mixture is hot and no longer grainy to the touch or reads 160F on a candy thermometer (approx. 3mins)
• Place bowl on your stand mixer and whisk on med-high until the meringue is stiff and cooled (the bowl is no longer warm to the touch (approx. 5-10mins)).
• Switch to paddle attachment. Slowly add cubed butter and mix until smooth.***
• Add melted, cooled white chocolate and whip until smooth.
• Place chopped chocolate and cream in a microwave safe bowl. Microwave in 5-10 second increments, stirring in between, until smooth and combined. Add a few drops of bright white color gel to get the desired color. Set aside to thicken and cool completely.
• Place one layer of cake on a cake stand or serving plate. Top with 1 cup of buttercream and spread evenly. Repeat with remaining layers and crumb coat the cake. Chill for 20mins.
• Frost and smooth the sides with the remaining frosting. Use a scalloped cake comb to create the textured effect on the sides. Smooth the top. Chill for 30mins until frosting is cold and firm.
• Using a small spoon, place dollops of ganache around the top edges of the chilled cake, allowing some to drip down. Fill in the top of the cake with more ganache and spread evenly with an offset spatula. Chill to set ganache (5 mins).
• Pipe dollops on top using an Ateco or Wilton 1M tip, top each with a Lindt White Chocolate Truffle if desired. Sprinkle chocolate shavings along the bottom and to fill in the top.

BEST EVER CHOCOLATE CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 160C (320F)
• Prepare a 25 x 25 cake tin, spray well with cooking spray or line.
• In a large bowl add the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt and mix well until fully combined.
• Add to this the eggs, vanilla, oil and milk and blend well.
• Finally add the boiling water and carefully stir until completely blended together.
• Pour into your prepared cake tin and bake for 35-45 minutes (all tin sizes differ so check often after 30 minutes)
• In a medium sized bowl combine the icing sugar and cocoa powder and mix well.
• Add to this the melted butter and vanilla essence and stir well
• Add water a little at a time until you have your desired consistency
• Spread generously over the cake, allow to set, slice and serve!
• Store in an airtight container.

EASY CHOCOLATE CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 180C/160C Fan/Gas 4. Grease and line two 20cm/8in sandwich tins.
• For the cake, place all of the cake ingredients, except the boiling water, into a large mixing bowl. Using a wooden spoon, or electric whisk, beat the mixture until smooth and well combined.
• Add the boiling water to the mixture, a little at a time, until smooth. (The cake mixture will now be very liquid.)
• Divide the cake batter between the sandwich tins and bake in the oven for 25-35 minutes, or until the top is firm to the touch and a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean.
• Remove the cakes from the oven and allow to cool completely, still in their tins, before icing.
• For the chocolate icing, heat the chocolate and cream in a saucepan over a low heat until the chocolate melts. Remove the pan from the heat and whisk the mixture until smooth, glossy and thickened. Set aside to cool for 1-2 hours, or until thick enough to spread over the cake.
• To assemble the cake, run a round-bladed knife around the inside of the cake tins to loosen the cakes. Carefully remove the cakes from the tins.
• Spread a little chocolate icing over the top of one of the chocolate cakes, then carefully top with the other cake.
• Transfer the cake to a serving plate and ice the cake all over with the chocolate icing, using a palette knife.

THE MOST AMAZING CHOCOLATE CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Lightly butter three 9-inch cake rounds. Dust with flour or cocoa powder and tap out the excess. Alternatively, you can lightly grease the pans and line with parchment paper.
• In a large mixing bowl, mix together flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a stand mixer using a low speed until combined.
• Add eggs, buttermilk, warm water, oil, and vanilla. Beat on a low speed until smooth. This should take just a couple of minutes. Be sure to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl so that everything gets mixed in.
• Divide batter evenly amongst the three prepared pans, about 3 cups of batter per pan. Tap the cake pans gently on the counter to allow any bubbles to rise to the top and escape.
• Bake for 30-35 minutes in a 350 degree oven until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
• Cool on wire racks for 15 minutes and then remove the cakes from the pan and place on the wire rack to cool completely.
• Frost with your favorite frosting and enjoy!
• In a large bowl, use a hand mixer or stand mixer to beat together butter and cream cheese until fluffy, about 3 minutes.
• Add in cocoa powder and vanilla extract. Beat until just combined, about 30 seconds.
• Beat in powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time. Add milk as necessary to make a spreadable consistency. The frosting should be very thick and will thicken even more once refrigerated.
• Use frosting to frost and assemble cake, or transfer to a piping bag for decorating. Once frosted, this cake should be refrigerated, but can remain at room temperature for up to 4 hours.

THE BEST RICH AND MOIST CHOCOLATE CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9 x 13 inch pan.
• Mix all ingredients except chocolate chips at medium speed for 2 minutes.
• Gently fold in chips.
• I always use a 9 x 13 pan, by 2 - 9 inch round pans can also be used. Bake for 30 - 40 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

MOIST CHOCOLATE CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325°. Sift together dry ingredients in a bowl. Add oil, coffee and milk; mix at medium speed 1 minute. Add eggs and vanilla; beat 2 minutes longer. (Batter will be thin.) , Pour into 2 greased and floured 9-in. round baking pans (or two 8-in. round baking pans and 6 muffin cups). , Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 25-30 minutes. Cool 10 minutes before removing from pans. Cool on wire racks. , Meanwhile, for icing, combine milk and flour in a saucepan; cook until thick. Cover and refrigerate. , In a bowl, beat butter, shortening, sugar and vanilla until creamy. Add chilled milk mixture and beat 10 minutes. Frost cooled cake. If desired, dust with additional cocoa.

DAIRY-FREE CHOCOLATE CAKE (GLUTEN-FREE OPTION)

Steps:

• Preheat your oven to 350 °F (175 °C). Line 2 round 8" cake pans with parchment paper on the bottom and then grease the sides of the pans.
• In a large bowl, stir together the sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add eggs, milk, oil and vanilla.
• Mix until combined and then stir in the boiling water. The batter will be almost as thin as water.
• Divide the batter between the two pans.
• Bake for 25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out with maybe some moist crumbs, but no uncooked liquid.
• Let cool for 5 minutes in the pans, and then turn out onto a rack to cool. Let cool completely before frosting.
• Unfrosted cake layers can be wrapped in plastic wrap and stored at room temperature for 2 days or refrigerated for 3. They can also be frozen for up to 3 months.
• In a large saucepan over medium-low heat, mix together the chocolate chips, milk, coconut oil, vanilla extract and salt. Stir until melted and completely smooth.
• Let the pan cool for about 15 minutes (or until cool enough to place in the refrigerator) and then place the pan in the refrigerator for about 1-2 hours, stirring after every 15-20 minutes, or until firm enough to spread on the cake. I need about 1 hour. If you forget about it and leave it in the refrigerator too long, it'll be too firm to spread, so be sure to keep checking on it. If it gets too hard, very lightly reheat it on low heat, stirring constantly, until it's soft enough.
• Once the cake has cooled, spread about 3/4 cup of frosting on the first layer, about 1 cup on top of the cake, and the rest on the sides.
• Cover and refrigerate leftovers for up to 4 days. You can also freeze the frosted cake or unfrosted layers for up to 3 months.

OLD FASHIONED CHOCOLATE CAKE

Steps:

• Take everything out of the fridge so that all the ingredients can come to room temperature. Preheat the oven to gas mark 4/180°C/160°C Fan/350ºF and line and butter two 20cm / 8 inch sandwich tins with removable bases. Now all you have to do is put all the cake ingredients - flour, sugar, baking powder and bicarb, cocoa, butter, eggs, vanilla and sour cream - into a food processor and process until you have a smooth, thick batter. If you want to go the long way around, just mix the flour, sugar and leavening agents in a large bowl and beat in the soft butter until you have a combined and creamy mixture. Now whisk together the cocoa, sour cream, vanilla and eggs and beat this into your bowl of mixture. Divide this batter, using a rubber spatula to help you scrape and spread, into the prepared tins and bake until a cake tester, or a thin skewer, comes out clean, which should be about 35 minutes, but it is wise to start checking at 25. Also, it might make sense to switch the two cakes around in the oven halfway through cooking time. Remove the cakes, in their tins, to a wire rack and let cool for 10 minutes before turning out of their tins. Don't worry about any cracks as they will easily be covered by the icing later. To make this icing, melt the butter and chocolate in a good-sized bowl either in the microwave or suspended over a pan of simmering water. Go slowly either way: you don't want any burning or seizing. While the chocolate and butter are cooling a little, sieve the icing sugar into another bowl. Or, easier still, put the icing sugar into the food processor and blitz. This is by far and away the least tedious way of removing lumps. Add the golden syrup to the cooled chocolate mixture, followed by the sour cream and vanilla and then when all this is combined whisk in the sieved icing sugar. Or just pour this mixture down the funnel of the food processor on to the icing sugar, with the motor running. When you've done, you may need to add a little boiling water - say a teaspoon or so - or indeed some more icing sugar: it depends on whether you need the icing to be runnier or thicker; or indeed it may be right as it is. It should be liquid enough to coat easily, but thick enough not to drip off. Choose your cake stand or plate and cut out four strips of baking parchment to form a square outline on it (this stops the icing running on to the plate). Then sit one of the cakes, uppermost (ie slightly domed) side down. Spoon about a third of the icing on to the centre of the cake half and spread with a knife or spatula until you cover the top of it evenly. Sit the other cake on top, normal way up, pressing gently to sandwich the two together. Spoon another third of the icing on to the top of the cake and spread it in a swirly, textured way (though you can go for a smooth finish if you prefer, and have the patience). Spread the sides of the cake with the remaining icing and leave a few minutes till set, then carefully pull away the paper strips. I love to dot the top of this with sugar pansies - and you must admit, they do look enchanting - but there really is no need to make a shopping expedition out of it. Anything, or indeed nothing, will do.

BEST MOIST CHOCOLATE CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour a 9x13 inch pan. Sift together the flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
• In a large bowl, cream together the margarine and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the vanilla. Beat in the flour mixture alternately with the milk, mixing just until incorporated. Pour batter into prepared pan.
• Bake in the preheated oven for 40 to 45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Allow to cool.