Chocolate Birthday cake

We had a birthday in the house this week.  So I did a bit of baking.  I made a simple chocolate cake to mark the occasion. 

Here’s how I made it:

1.      Preheat oven to 180°.  Butter and flour the sides of 2x sandwich tins and line the bases with greaseproof paper. 

2.      Melt 125g/4 ½ oz milk chocolate with 3 tbsp milk in a bowl over a saucepan of gently simmering water.

3.      Beat 150g/5oz softened butter until very soft then add 150g/5oz caster sugar and continue to beat until the mixture is light and fluffy.  Beat in 3 eggs, one at a time, and then fold in the melted chocolate.

4.      Sift in 200g/7oz plain flour, 1 tbsp good quality cocoa powder and 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda, and fold in gently to mix.  Divide the mixture between the two tins and bake in the oven for about 25 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the middle of each cake comes out clean.

5.      Remove the cakes from the oven and allow to sit for a few minutes before turning them out of their tins and placing them on a wire rack to cool.

6.      While the cakes are cooling, make the chocolate butter icing.  Beat 75g/3oz softened butter, 1tblsp cream and 1tsp vanilla extract until very soft.  Then gradually sift in 175g/6oz icing sugar and 1 tbsp good quality cocoa powder, beating all the time, until it is all added.  Continue to beat until very soft, and then whisk the mixture until it is light and fluffy.

7.      Once the cakes are cool, spread some of the butter icing on one cake top.  Follow with a layer of whipped cream.  Place 2^nd cake on top and add the remaining butter icing to the top of the cake.  I topped this then with some flake bits and sprinkles.  Finish with a dusting of icing sugar.