Author Notes: This simple and rich chocolate cake is straight from the pages of my mum’s scrap-cook-book. It was the first thing I learnt to make in the kitchen all by myself. The mixture is terribly forgiving and encouraging of sneaky swipes of batter. This recipe taught me how to bake a cake and the importance of tasting your food as you go…particularly if it involves cocoa. —Heidi – Apples Under My Bed
Makes: 1 lovely large cake, ~10 slices.
Ingredients
Cake Ingredients
-
1 & 2/3
cups Flour
-
1 & 1/2
teaspoons Baking Soda
-
1
teaspoon Salt
-
2/3
cup Quality Dutch-Processed Cocoa Powder
-
1 & 1/2
cups White Sugar
-
1/4
cup Olive Oil
-
2
ounces Unsalted Butter, softened
-
2
Eggs
-
1
teaspoon Vanilla Extract
-
1
tablespoon White Vinegar
-
1 & 1/4
cups Milk
Frosting Ingredients
-
2
cups Confectioners Sugar
-
1/4
cup Cocoa Powder
-
1
tablespoon softened Unsalted Butter
-
1
teaspoon Vanilla Extract
-
2-3
tablespoons Warm Water, plus more for dipping the knife when spreading the frosting
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and grease and line an 8 inch springform cake tin with baking paper.
- For the cake: sift the flour, baking soda, cocoa and sugar into a mixing bowl (for use with an electric mixer – or if lacking an electric mixer and feeling particularly spritely you can mix vigorously by hand). Add the salt and stir.
- Whisk the eggs lightly before adding them to the mixing bowl with the softened butter, oil, vanilla extract, milk and vinegar.
- Beat the mixture on low speed for 30 seconds. Scrape the bowl to ensure all the mixture is being incorporated then beat on high for 3 minutes. Pour the mixture into your prepared cake tin.
- Bake in your hot oven for ~60 minutes, until a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean. Depending on the strength of you oven, you might like to check it at 50 minutes.
- For the frosting: sift the confectioners sugar and cocoa powder into a bowl, then add the butter and vanilla. Whisk in the warm water, a tablespoon at a time, until smooth and spreadable
- Using a butter knife dipping in hot water, spread the icing on the top of the cooled cake. Be as generous/ugly as you like. We’ll call it rustic.
- Dust your frosted cake with more confectioners sugar, decorate with lollies or maybe just finish it all off with a generous sprinkling of Malden sea salt flakes… go with your mood, whether classic, childish or crazy (good).