A showstopping birthday cake ready in an hour? Yes, it can be done! If you're new to baking or just short on time but want to make something special for your friend or family's birthday, this is the recipe for you. With a fluffy all-in-one chocolate sponge, creamy chocolate icing and simple decoration, this is your new go-to cake recipe. Check out the flavour spins to make it different every time and don't forget to screenshot the ingredients list at the bottom before you go shopping.
Preheat the oven to gas 4, 180°C, fan 160°C. Grease and line 2 x 20cm round cake tins.
Mix the cocoa powder with 125ml hot water into a paste in a large bowl. Add all the remaining cake ingredients. Beat with an electric hand whisk until creamy, smooth and fully combined.
Divide the mix between the two tins. Tap each on a work surface (this will prevent air-bubbles). Bake for 30 mins until risen and an inserted skewer comes out clean. Remove from the tins and leave to cool completely on a wire rack.
Meanwhile, make the icing. Put the butter, icing sugar, cocoa powder and yogurt into a food processor and pulse until blended. Add the melted chocolate and blitz until smooth.
To decorate, level the top of the cakes if necessary. Place onto a cake board or serving plate, then spread over one third of the frosting. Place the second cake on top. Spread over another third of the frosting.
Fill a disposable icing bag with the remaining frosting. Snip a ½ cm-1cm hole from the end and squeeze peaked rounds all around the edge of the cake.
Scatter the sprinkles over the rounds, then top each one with a Smartie. Fill the centre with candles.
Once you've tried the classic double chocolate, try these flavour spins on this simple recipe to find your favourite flavour:
Chocolate orange
Add the zest of 3 oranges to the bowl in step 2. Replace the dark chocolate in the frosting to a good quality dark orange chocolate. Decorate with orange zest.
Zesty lemon
Replace the cocoa powder paste mix with 50ml lemon juice and add the zest of two lemons to the bowl in step 2. Reduce the baking powder to ½ tsp. Replace the chocolate frosting with lemon buttercream made with 190g softened butter mixed with 380g icing sugar and 1 tbsp lemon juice. Decorate with lemon zest.
Cappuccino
Replace the cocoa powder paste mix with 50ml strong coffee (made with 1tbsp instant coffee granules mixed with 50ml boiling water, cooled). Reduce the baking powder to ½ tsp. Dust with cocoa powder to decorate.
Screenshot this ingredients list before you go shopping for everything you need to make this special chocolate cake:
75g cocoa powder250g softened butter, plus extra for greasing250g golden caster sugar275g self-raising flour1¼ tsp baking powder4 eggs1 tsp vanilla extract
For the frosting200g butter, softened200g icing sugar5 tbsp cocoa powder3 tbsp plain yogurt90g dark chocolate, melted and cooled slightly
For decorating3 tsp bright sprinklesSmall handful Smarties
Serves 14
of the reference intake Carbohydrate 57.9g Protein 6.5g Fibre 0.9g
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