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Cute Weekend Chocolate Cake

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This is a playful chocolate cake that looks as adorable as it tastes and won't absorb hours in the kitchen to bring it to life. It's also really versatile - Birthday? Just add candles. Bake sale at school or work? Lay out the pieces on a disposable foil tray. Afternoon tea? Put the kettle on. Weekend treat? Pair it with a glass of something cold. Dessert? Add vanilla ice cream.

Ingredients

Scale

For the Whipped Chocolate Ganache -

  • 110g (4oz) semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • 110g (4oz) double/whipping cream

For the cake -

  • 175g (6oz) soft butter or margarine, NOT low fat or 'spreadable' + a little extra for greasing the tin
  • 175g (6oz) caster sugar
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 tablespoon cocoa powder
  • 165g (5 1/2 oz) self raising flour
  • 1/2 tablespoon golden syrup

You will also need -

  • 17 x 26 x 4cm (6 1/2 x 10 x 1 1/2 inch) rectangular cake tin.
  • An electric hand whisk or similar.

Instructions

Make the Whipped Chocolate Ganache

  1. There are detailed instructions for making ganache here. Increasingly, I just put the chocolate chips and the cream into a microwaveable bowl and gently heat in the microwave, stirring at regular intervals until the mixture is fully melted and glossy. Choose whichever technique you are most comfortable with.
  2. Allow the ganache to cool and put it in the fridge to slightly thicken. Check on it every now and then, while you bake the cake.
  3. When it is starting to thicken but is not fully solid, give it a good whisk with an electric hand whisk until the colour lightens and it has a fluffy consistency (around 3-5 minutes depending on the strength of your motor and the vigour of your whisking). It is now ready for frosting the cake.

Bake the cake -

  1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/160°C Fan/350°F (gas mark 4) and grease and line the rectangular cake tin.
  2. Cream the butter/margarine and caster sugar in a large bowl until light and fluffy.
  3. Add 3 eggs, 1 tablespoon cocoa powder and the Self Raising flour and mix well.
  4. Finally add 1/2 tablespoon golden syrup and combine thoroughly.
  5. Spread the mixture in the prepared tin and bake in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes or until the cake is springy in the centre.
  6. Let the cake cool and then remove it from the tin to get completely cold.
  7. Swirl the whipped chocolate ganache over the top of the cake and liberally add the sprinkles.
  8. Use a sharp knife to cut the cake into 15-18 pieces.

Notes

  • If you don't have a rectangular tin, a round 8" cake would also work.
  • It's a good idea to make the Chocolate Ganache before you even start on the cake so it will have time to chill and thicken in the fridge and then be ready for whipping (aka less hanging around). If it gets too stiff in the fridge, bring it out into the kitchen to warm slightly and whip it when it's sufficiently softened.
  • My sprinkles lost their colour a little once the cake had been sitting overnight. If I was making this for an occasion, I would add the sprinkles just before serving.
  • The cake stores nicely in an airtight tin at room temperature for 2 or 3 days. You can chill it, if you prefer, but the frosting will harden.

Keywords: everyday, celebration, easy, baking

Find it online: https://marmaladeandme.com/cute-weekend-chocolate-cake/