Recipes

Mary Berry chocolate cake

An all in one chocolate cake– a deliciously naughty icing too!

INGREDIENTS

  • 50g cocoa powder
  • 6 tablespoons boiling water

  • 3 eggs

  • 4 tablespoons milk

  • 175g self-raising flour

  • 1 level teaspoon baking powder

  • 100g baking spread or soft butter

  • 300g natural caster sugar

For the icing and filling

  • 150g Bournville chocolate broken into small pieces

  • 150ml pouring double cream

  • 3 tablespoons apricot jam

METHOD

  1. Pre-heat the oven to 180ºC/160fan/Gas 4.  Grease 2 x 20cm/8” sandwich tins and base line with baking parchment.

  2. First measure the cocoa and boiling water into a large bowl, mix well to make a paste.  Add the remaining ingredients and beat again until combined. This can also be made in a processor but be careful not to over whisk.  Divide the cake mixture between the prepared tins. 

  3. Bake in the pre-heated oven for about 25-30 mins until well risen and shrinking away from the sides of the tin and springy to the touch.

  4. For the icing and filling measure the chocolate and cream together in a bowl and stand the bowl over a pan of simmering water for approx 10 mins until melted – stirring from time to time.  Set aside and allow to become cold and almost set.

  5. When baked, leave for 10 minutes to cool a little.  Carefully remove from the tin on a wired rack and allow to cool completely.  Spread the tops of each cake with apricot ham.  Fill the cakes with half the icing and spread the remainder on top.  Take a small palette knife and make a pretty swirl pattern on top– dust with icing sugar and enjoy!

    Recipe credit: Mary Berry

Photo Credits : Paul Gregory Photography

Food and Kindness, The Sobell House Cook Book