Prep time: 15 minutes

Cooking time: 25–30 minutes

Makes: 1 x 23cm/ 9in cake

Ingredients

• 75g/2¾oz/5 tbsp butter, melted, plus extra for greasing
• 200g/7oz/1 cup soft brown sugar
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 140g/5oz/1¼ cups self-raising flour
• 2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 recipe quantity Creamy Chocolate Frosting (below)

Method

Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/gas 4. Grease a 23cm/9in spring-form cake pan with butter and line the base with baking paper.

In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar together using an electric hand mixer, then beat in the eggs and vanilla extract until well combined.

In another bowl, combine the flour and cocoa, then add to the sugar mixture with 125ml hot water, stirring with a wooden spoon until everything is moist. Pour into the prepared pan.

Bake in the hot oven for 25–30 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean. Remove from the oven and leave the cake in the pan to cool for 10 minutes, then turn out on to a wire (cooling) rack to cool completely.

To frost the cake, use a palette knife to spread over the creamy chocolate frosting.

Creamy Chocolate Frosting

Prep time: 10 minutes

Makes: 250ml

Ingredients

• 225g/8oz/1¾ cups icing (confectioners’) sugar
• 3 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
• 25g/1oz/2 tbsp butter, melted
• 4–5 tbsp milk

Method

Sift the icing sugar and cocoa into a bowl.

Stir in the melted butter and enough of the milk to make a creamy consistency.

Use immediately.

Prep time: : 15 minutes

Cooking time: 15–17 minutes

Makes: 12 madeleines

Ingredients

• 100g/3½oz/7 tbsp butter, chopped, plus extra for greasing
• 75g/2¾oz dark (bittersweet) chocolate, broken into pieces
• 75g/2¾oz/½ cup plus 1 tbsp plain (all-purpose) flour
• ½ tsp baking powder 
• pinch salt
• 2 eggs
• 100g/3½oz/½ cup caster (granulated) sugar
• icing (confectioners’) sugar, sifted, for dusting

Method

Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/gas 4. Grease a 12-hole madeleine pan with butter.

In a saucepan, heat the butter and chocolate over a low heat until melted, then set aside to cool.

Sift the flour and baking powder into a bowl and add the salt. In a separate bowl, beat the eggs and sugar together until the mixture is light in colour using an electric hand mixer, then whisk in the chocolate mixture. Using a metal spoon, gently fold in the flour mix. Divide the mixture between the 12 holes in the pan, but don’t overfill!

Bake in the hot oven for 10–12 minutes until the cakes are firm to the touch. Remove from the oven and leave the madeleines in the pan to cool for 10 minutes, then turn out on to a wire (cooling) rack to cool completely. Dust with icing sugar.

Prep time: 20 minutes

Cooking time: 55–60 minutes

Makes: 1 x 25cm/ 10in cake

Ingredients

• 200g/7oz/¾ cup plus 2 tbsp butter, softened, plus extra for greasing
• 400g/14oz/2 cups caster (granulated) sugar
• 3 eggs, lightly beaten
• 300g/10½oz/2½ cups selfraising flour
• 2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder, plus extra for dusting
• 150ml/5fl oz/⅔ cup milk
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 125g/4½oz dark (bittersweet) or milk chocolate chips
• 1 recipe quantity Shiny Chocolate Frosting (below)
• 3–5 tbsp grated chocolate, to serve

Method

Preheat the oven to 170°C/325°F/gas 3. Grease a 25cm/10in bundt pan with butter.

In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar together until light and creamy using an electric hand mixer, then gradually whisk in the eggs. Fold in the flour, cocoa, milk, vanilla extract and chocolate chips until just combined using a metal spoon. Spoon into the prepared pan.

Bake in the hot oven for 55–60 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean. Remove from the oven and leave the cake in the pan to cool for 10 minutes.

Turn the cake out on to a wire (cooling) rack and, while still warm, dust over the cocoa powder, drizzle over the shiny chocolate frosting and add the grated chocolate.

Shiny Chocolate Frosting

Prep: 15 mins

Makes: 250ml

Ingredients

• 400g/14oz/3 cups icing (confectioners’) sugar
• 2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
• 15g/½oz/1 tbsp butter, softened

Method

Place the icing sugar and cocoa in a bowl and make a small well in the middle. Place the butter in the well and pour over 2½ tbsp boiling water.

Stir until the butter has melted, then continue stirring until the frosting is of spreading consistency, adding about another 2½ tbsp boiling water as required.

Use immediately.