How to make the perfect Chocolate Cake

• SERVES 8
• PREPARATION 10 mins
• COOKING 50 mins

Simple Chocolate Cake

INGREDIENTS

• 175g (6oz) margarine or softened butter
• 175g (6oz) caster sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 150g (5oz) self-raising flour, sifted
• 50g (1¾oz) of cocoa, sifted
• 1tsp baking powder
• 1tsp vanilla extract
• Pinch of salt  

FOR THE SIMPLE CHOCOLATE ICING:

• 100g (3½oz) of dark chocolate
• 100g (3½oz) of chopped butter

METHOD

• Heat the oven to 180°C (gas mark 4). Lightly grease an 18cm (7in) round cake tin with a little extra butter or margarine and cut a piece of greaseproof paper or non-stick baking parchment to fit the base of the tin.
• Put all of the ingredients in a large mixing bowl and beat with a wooden spoon or a hand-held mixer for 1 minute, or until just combined. It's important not to beat the batter too much - just long enough to make it smooth.
• Pour or spoon the mixture into the tin, smooth the top and bake on the middle shelf of the oven for about 45-50 minutes. The cake is cooked when it looks well risen and golden, the top should spring back when lightly touched with a fingertip. Another test is to insert a skewer into the center of the cake - it should come out clean.
• Let the cake sit in the tin for 5 minutes, then gently run a knife around the edge and turn the cake out onto a wire rack to cool.
• For the icing, place the dark chocolate and chopped butter in a heatproof bowl and set over a saucepan of very hot water until melted. Cool for 15 minutes, then spread over the top of the cooled cake.