Monday, December 31, 2007

Happy New Year

My 250th post and a timely opportunity to wish you all a very happy and prosperous 2008...

...And to share with you all the recipe for the cake above which has become a traditional Christmas standby for my family. It's a gorgeously rich, three-tier chocolate fudge cake and will satisfy the cravings of even the most desperate chocolate addict. Best served with cream this cake will allow you all to experience the most superlative of Alan Partridge moments... Enjoy!

3 Tier Chocolate Cake

Ingredients:

275g plain flour
45ml cocoa powder
6.25ml baking powder
2.5ml bicarbonate of soda
a large pinch of salt
125g plain chocolate
150g softened butter
225g light brown soft sugar
2 eggs, beaten
150ml natural yoghurt
2.5ml vanilla essence


Icing:
450g icing sugar
125g cocoa powder
125g butter
90ml milk

Grease 3 x 18inch sandwich tins and line with greaseproof paper.

Sift the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, bicarbonate and salt together.

Melt the chocolate and leave to cool slightly.

Cream the butter and brown sugar together until pale and fluffy. Gradually beat in the eggs, then fold in the chocolate, the sifted ingredients, yoghurt and vanilla essence. Turn the mixture into the tins and level the surfaces.

Bake in the oven at 190 degrees C/mark 5 for 25-30 mins or until risen and firm to the touch. Turn out on a wire rack and leave to cool.

To make the icing: sift the icing sugar and cocoa powder into a heavy based saucepan. Add the butter and the milk and heat gently until the butter has melted. Beat until the icing is smooth. Remove from the heat.

Use some of the icing to sandwich the three cakes together. Cover the sides and top of the cake with the remaining icing. Leave to set.

14 comments:

per.pri said...

Ooooooooh! Yum Yum Yummmmmmmmmmmmmy!!!

That is just what I need right now...

Happy New Year Steve! I hope you and your family have a wonderful 2008, full of the creation of many happy memories.

:)

Anonymous said...

Did you eat that whole piece yourself???? I dunno about Lego Boobs but if you carry on scoffing such huge helpings of chocolate cake you'll have Man Boobs before too long.

Looks yummy anyway.

Happy New Year!

The Hitch said...

*Shudders*
I'm going to make that.

Steve said...

Thank you one and all - hope you all have a wonderful 2008 too.

per.pri - I swear to God this cake has medicinal properties... ;-)

RB - rest assured the missing segment was shared by myself, Karen and our 6 year old. Even I, choc addict that I am, couldn't have managed a slice so big! As for Man boobs... I look forward to those in my old age... something to keep me entertained in my dotage!

Hitch - I'd be interested to hear your verdict!

TimeWarden said...

Congratulations on reaching your 250th post, Steve. And, a timely moment to do so as well, at the end of a year! The chocolate cake looks good which I have to confess to preferring to Christmas cake, any day of the week!!

Look forward to reading your next 250 posts and hope you and your family have a good year ahead...

Steve said...

Many thanks TimeWarden - I confess I dislike Christmas cake and mince pies intensely... my sister even had a sponge cake at her wedding rather than the traditional kind. A sign of good taste methinks!

Wishing all the best for you and your family throughout 2008!

Mermaid of Moorgate said...

chocolate cakes AND partridge moments... you do spoil us... "cashback"... Thanks Steve and have a wonderful NewYear!!!

Steve said...

Thanks Mermaid - hope 2008 keeps your tail shiny and smooth!

Glenda Young said...

That looks wonderful! All the very best for 2008 to you all.

Steve said...

Many thanks Nora - same to you too. And the cake tastes as good as it looks!

MOTHER OF MANY said...

A recipe I will definitely give to my 16 year old who LOVES to bake.

Steve said...

I'd be interested to hear what she thinks of the finished product, Ally!

Old Cheeser said...

Belatedly - mmmm!! Looks like a fab recipe and if only it was pre rather than post-Xmas I'd probably bake it (or get my hubbie to do it, he's better at these things than me... excuses, excuses...)

And Happy 250th post - well done! (I'm not far behind myself...)

Steve said...

OC, I have to say that the cake is good at any time of the year... get Gustavo to bake it; neither of you will be disappointed!