It's birthday season around here. #1 and #2 teenage sons celebrate their birthdays within 4 days of each other (how did we manage that bit of poor planning?), so it's a full-on partying and merriment kind of week. Having two cakes with candles and all the other sugary treats within a few days of each other is a lot, even for the sweetest tooth and it's true to say that by the end of January I'm looking forward to a cake-free break.
Except for these Chocolate Cornflake Cakes - I could honestly eat them, on and off, all year round. Yes, they're rather 'vintage' and yes, you may have seen a recipe for something similar on the side of a cereal box, but there are Chocolate Cornflake Cakes and there are Chocolate Cornflake Cakes, I'll have you know. These ones are crunchy, chewy, sticky and the perfect size for a gorgeous, indulgent treat.
And here's why you'll think this version of Chocolate Cornflake Cakes is the bee's knees -
- They really are as easy as it gets but, as in most things, it's all in the detail. And the detail here is simple, high-quality ingredients .... to be blunt, it's mostly about good chocolate. I particularly love Lindt - it's rare that you'll not be able to find a bar or two in our fridge - but as long as you steer clear of that 'cooking chocolate' rubbish you'll be doing fine.
- And the other essential ingredients are the butter and the golden syrup - that's what will give your Chocolate Cornflake Cakes the beautiful, sticky sheen. Without these vital ingredients, the finish will be flat and the consistency will be dry - and a bit 'stick-in-the-throaty' perhaps too.
- I love a Smartie - I use them a lot - and adding a few to the top of these cakes while they are still warm will add a splash of vibrant colour.
- Grab yourself some coloured paper cases and you get even more bang for your buck.
- They will sit nicely in the fridge until you need them, so you can get organised early for your occasion.
- These are the perfect treats to rattle off at speed for a party, an end of term class bash or for the school cake stall. Make them your signature dish.
- Children love them but adults adore them too. Play around with the proportion of dark to milk chocolate to suit your audience. Half and half works for me.
Convinced? Give them a try ... but I challenge you to resist eating one or two straight from the fridge when you do - and every time you walk past the kitchen. Now when did I say the next birthday was ...?
If you liked these Chocolate Cornflake Cakes, you might also enjoy this exclusive chocolaty subscriber recipe -
Chocolate Cornflake Cakes
These Chocolate Cornflake Cakes are all about using good quality chocolate and adding butter + golden syrup for the beautiful, sticky sheen. Adored by all!
Adapted from a recipe by Nigel Slater.
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Total Time: 15 mins (+ chilling)
- Yield: 12 medium sized or 9 larger sized 1x
- Category: Cakes
- Method: Hob
- Cuisine: British
Ingredients
- 50g (2oz) butter
- 4 tablespoons golden syrup - if you have a gas hob, warm the spoon in the flame on the hob so that the syrup will slide off easily or alternatively, coax it off with a teaspoon
- 50g (2oz) good quality milk chocolate, broken into small pieces
- 50g (2oz) good quality dark chocolate, broken into small pieces
- 75g (3oz) cornflakes
- 2 small tubes of Smarties
You will also need -
a 12 cupcake tray filled with paper cases
Instructions
- Gently melt the butter, golden syrup and the chocolate in a heavy saucepan.
- Now stir in the cornflakes, making sure that all the flakes are covered with the chocolatey, syrupy loveliness.
- Divide the mixture between the 12 paper cases and arrange some Smarties on the top of each while the mixture is still warm.
- Leave to set in the fridge for a couple of hours.
Keywords: party, children, birthdays
