Fool-proof Chocolate Cake

This recipe has been my "good old faithful" for over two decades – and that feels like a lifetime ago! This fool-proof chocolate cake recipe is truly the best. With a step by step guide to help you though, and a perfect chocolate buttercream icing recipe!

Unbalanced

% Daily Values based on a 2,000 calorie diet

Step 1

Beat the eggs with an electric mixer until they become foamy (roughly 45 seconds to a minute).

Step 2

Add the sugar and beat until well combined (roughly 45 seconds to a minute+). The mixture will become slightly paler in color.

Step 3

Add the vanilla essence, salt, oil and milk & vinegar to the mixture, and beat until combined (about 30 seconds).

Step 4

Sift in the flour, cocoa and instant coffee, and beat until there aren't any lumps.

Step 5

Add the baking powder and baking soda (bicarb) by stirring it in (don't over-mix it, otherwise it won't rise nicely).

Step 6

The mixture should be slightly runnier than toothpaste, not too thick or not too thin!

Step 7

Grease your cake pans with butter, and then line them with baking paper. This ensures that the cakes don't stick to the sides of the pan, and it protects them from becoming dry and crusted. Once the cakes are baked and cooled, simply peel off the baking paper.

Step 8

A very important aspect of a good bake is to ensure that the mixture is poured equally between the cake pans. To achieve this, it's best to place each pan on a kitchen scale and divide the mixture equally (roughly 500g per pan).

Step 9

Another really important aspect of a good bake is to ensure there aren't any large air bubbles in the mixture once it's been poured into the pans. Simply tap the pan down onto a flat surface a couple of times until the bubbles have popped. Then vibrate the pan in a side to side motion to level it out nicely.

Step 10

Place the cake pans in the center of your oven, and bake at 180° C or 360° F for 30 – 35 minutes (until just golden on top and the sides of the cake have slightly popped away from the pan). If you're not 100% sure if the cakes are cooked all the way through, pop a skewer into the middle and see that there is no mixture on it and that it comes out clean.

Step 11

Leave the cakes to cool for about 20 to 30 minutes, and remove them from the pans.

Step 12

Beat the butter, white margarine, cream cheese and vanilla essence together until combined and smooth & creamy. Add the sifted icing sugar and cocoa, and beat until smooth. Adjust the thickness of the icing with milk, until you have the desired consistency.

Step 13

Using a spatula or icing knife, spread the icing between the two layers of cake (sandwiching them together). Then place icing on top of the cake and smooth it off. Decorate with fresh strawberries (like I did) or anything you fancy… enjoy!