Chocolate milk cake is alright, alright x

Well it's 7:09am on Tuesday and i've been up for over an hour with the lads. They are watching Gnomio and Juliet, so i'm taking this opportunity of quiet time to talk about my fabulous chocolate milk cake

After making lots of chocolate sponges which quite frankly can be a bit too dry for my liking, a Victoria Sandwich - great but I want my chocolate cakes to be moist, a little chocolate brownie esk and not too sweet.

 This recipe was completly inspired but the delightful Nigella Lawson, her chocolate guniness cake is a winner and I would recomend making it whenever you have a man you want to swoon. I now generally use it as a "i'm sorry and can we make up" peace offering to hubby.

I wanted to make a similar one for my children so I have tweaked the recipe slightly and voila, Chocolate Milk Cake was born

I hope you enjoy making and baking it, it is also a great gift when visiting friends, I made one recently for Laura who is one half of Nible Fingers and Steady Eye Brows

Ingredients

FOR THE CAKE

250ml(9loz) semi-skimmed or full fat milk

250g (9oz) unsalted butter

80g (3oz) cocoa powder

350g (14oz) caster sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla essence

140ml (5fl oz) buttermilk

280g (10oz) plain flour

2 tsp bicarbonate of soda

½ tsp baking powder

50g (1¾oz) unsalted butter, softened

one 23cm (9in) diameter spring-form cake tin

(I would recomend buying a good quality one which will last you a lifetime if looked after)

FOR THE TOPPING:

3-4 tbs good quality seedless raspberry jam (I use tiptree)
A selection of strawverries, raspberries and blueberries

METHOD

1. Preheat the oven to 170°C (325°F)/gas mark 3, then line the base of the tin with baking parchment.

2. Pour the milk into a saucepan, add the butter and gently heat until it has melted. Remove the pan from the heat and stir the cocoa powder and sugar into the warm liquid. Mix together the eggs, vanilla essence and buttermilk by hand in a jug or bowl, and then add this to the mixture in the pan.

3. Sift together the remaining sponge ingredients into a large bowl or into the bowl of a freestanding electric mixer. Using the mixer with the paddle attachment or a hand-held electric whisk, set on a low speed, pour in the contents of the pan. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and continue to mix thoroughly until all the ingredients are incorporated.

4. Pour the batter into the prepared cake tin and bake for approximately 45 minutes or until the sponge bounces back when lightly pressed and a skewer inserted into the middle come out with a liottle of the mixture on it as this will mean it is slightly sticky inside. Set aside to cool, and then remove from the tin on to a wire rack.

5. When the cake is still warn spread opver the raspberry jam and arrange your fruits. Now all you need to do is cut and enjoy with a nice cuppa

If you have any questions on this ior any other of my recipes please get in touch

Take care, Natalie xx