Decided to make a classic chocolate fudge cake. This is perfect for a celebration birthday or even just for a regular Sunday afternoon. The cocoa powder has a really deep taste so you end up with a delicious very chocolatey cake. I decided to use 2 cake tins so that you can sandwich the chocolate buttercream in between for optimal taste.

Ingredients:

For the cake:

⁃ 300g plain flour

⁃ 60g cocoa powder

⁃ 400g caster sugar

⁃ 4.5 tsp baking powder

⁃ Large pinch of salt

⁃ 120g butter, make sure it has been left out of the fridge for a few hours so is soft

⁃ 3 eggs

⁃ 1 tbsp vanilla extract

⁃ 360ml milk (semi skimmed or whole milk is best)

For the buttercream:

⁃ 600g icing sugar

⁃ 80g cocoa powder

⁃ 200g butter, soft (left out of the fridge)

⁃ 80ml milk (semi skimmed or whole milk preferable)

To decorate

⁃ Strawberries, cut in half

⁃ Chocolates of your choice, I used maltesers and white chocolate buttons

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 170°C.

2. Butter thoroughly 2 small cake tins (around 20 cm diameter). I do this by putting a knob of butter in a bowl then into the microwave for 10 seconds until melted. Then I use a kitchen towel to spread around the tin.

3. Mix together the flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking powder, salt and butter with an electric whisk. It should look grainy and sandy.

4. In a separate jug, mix the eggs, vanilla extract and milk together, until the eggs are beaten into the milk.

5. Then pour this into the dry mix and mix together for about a minute or so until well combined. You may need to use a spoon to scrape the sides so nothing sticks to the bowl. Do not over mix.

6. Divide the mixture into the 2 cake tins.

7. Bake for 50-55 minutes. Put both tins on the same shelf of the oven, if possible, to get an even bake.

8. Whilst the cake is baking, make the buttercream. Beat together the icing sugar, cocoa powder and butter using an electric whisk. Mix until well combined.

9. Then add in the milk little by little. The mixture will magically transform into a rich buttercream. Now you want to beat this for as long as possible- around 5-10 minutes. The more you mix, the fluffier it will become.

10. Once the cake is done, put a skewer into the sponge, it should come out clean. Leave these to cool until completely cold, or the buttercream will melt once put on. You can put it in the fridge to speed this up.

11. Sandwich the cakes with the buttercream then spread it around the cake until smooth, including the top. I just dollop a load of the buttercream on the cake then use a palette knife or regular knife to smooth it out.

12. Decorate with the strawberries and chocolates.