Moist Chocolate Cake (updated 27/2/14)

It's Nando's birthday and I've been so busy baking and will continue to bake over the next few days, so stay tuned. I made this cake for him to take to work and it was thoroughly enjoyed by all, so for those who requested the recipe here it is. ENJOY - it is such an easy peasy cake ! (There's a story why we wrote Merri instead of Happy and a prize to those who guess.)

Ingredients

250g self raising flour, sifted
2 cups Caster Sugar
75g Cocoa, sifted
2 teas Baking Powder
1 teas Bicarbonate Soda
½ teas Salt
1 cup milk
1 cup cold strong coffee
100 ml vegetable oil
2 eggs, lightly beaten
2 teas vinegar

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180oC (170o fan forced) and line a 22cm springform pan with baking paper, grease spray the sides of pan.
2. In a large bowl combine: flour, caster sugar, cocoa, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and salt.
3. In another bowl whisk together with balloon whisk: milk, coffee, oil, eggs and vinegar.
4. Pour milk mixture into flour mixture and with balloon whisk stir to combine.
5. Pour into prepared pan and bake at 180oC (170oC fan forced) for 1 hour.

Filling

540ml thickened cream

Beat cream with electric or handheld beater until stiff. Cut cake in half and spread cream to sandwich cakes together.

Topping

¼ cup (60mls) thickened cream
75g milk chocolate buttons
75g dark chocolate buttons

Put cream in a small bowl and place and microwave until hot about 1 min. Remove from microwave and quickly add all the chocolate. Set aside for ½ minute than stir to combine allowing the chocolate to melt in the hot cream. Set aside to thicken and then pour over top and sides of cake.

Special Note re Cream

Buy a 600ml cream and use ¼ cup (60mls) for the topping and the rest (540mls) for the filling.