Chocolate birthday cake

Recipe uploaded by

Good Food

38 ratings

Recipe by Good Food

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1. Video tutorial: Melting chocolate

1. Heat oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4. Butter and line the base of a 18 x 28cm cake tin or tray. Put the butter and sugar into a bowl; beat together with electric hand beaters until light and fluffy. add the eggs a little at a time, beating well between each addition.
2. Sieve the flour, cocoa and bicarbonate of soda into the bowl, then tip in any bran left in the sieve. Pour in the natural yogurt. Stir everything to a smooth mixture and spoon into the prepared tin. Bake for 20-25 mins until just firm and shrinking away from the sides of the tin. Cool in the tin for 5 mins, then turn onto a wire rack to cool completely.
3. For the icing, sieve the icing sugar and cocoa into a bowl, then pour in the butter and 2 tbsp just-boiled water. Stir together to a smooth, spreadable consistency. if it's too stiff, very carefully add a little more boiling water, drop by drop.
4. Spread the icing over the top of the cake, using a palette knife dipped in hot water. Will keep in an airtight container for up to 1 week.
5. Melt the chocolates in three different bowls in the microwave on High for 1 min or over a pan of simmering water. Spoon the melted chocolates into three plastic disposable piping bags. Snip the ends off and pipe 12 simple shapes on top of the cake. Leave to set. Just before serving, cut the cake into 12 squares and push in the candles.

Per serving

432 kcalories, protein 6g, carbohydrate 65g, fat 18 g, saturated fat 10g, fibre 3g, salt 0.41 g

Latest comments and suggestions

Results 21-40

• julia

  29 May 2008

  julia commented on this recipe

  This cake was so easy to make. Lovely and moist, not too sweet as I didn't ice it.

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• nku

  29 May 2008

  nku commented on this recipe

  Hi, i'm new here. Does anyone know how long this cake keeps after you make it? Thanks.

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• fanch

  01 June 2008

  fanch rated and commented on this recipe

  

  Very easy and quick to make. Maybe a bit too spongy but not too sugary so very nice.

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• Renata

  02 June 2008

  Renata commented on this recipe

  The magazine version of the recipe gives the quantity of bicarbonate of soda to add as 1/4 teaspoon

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• Staceys

  10 June 2008

  Staceys rated and commented on this recipe

  

  Easy to make resulting in a moist cake. Didn't decorate with melted chocolate but used Smarties instead which looked great until my goddaughter decided she would pick them all off!

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• Lisa Online

  20 June 2008

  Lisa Online commented on this recipe

  Does anyone know if this recipe would be good for cupcakes?

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• Redcf

  31 July 2008

  Redcf rated and commented on this recipe

  

  Really nice cake. Wholemeal flour adds an interesting texture. Everyone who tried it liked it. Brought it into work and it disappeared in minutes. Followed the recipe to the letter (although only used half the quantity of icing so that there was only a thin layer of icing). Lovely contrast between the moist sponge which is not overly sweet and the very sweet chocolate topping.

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• jammichelle

  12 August 2008

  jammichelle commented on this recipe

  This was a great succsess the only thing i would say is you only need a small amount because it is very rich even when i didn't bother to but the icing on but overall it was fabulous

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• Jade [=

  16 August 2008

  Jade [= commented on this recipe

  --Works just as good in cupcakes--. used this recipe for both cake and cupcakes, for mums 40th. --lasts up to a week-- instead of the chocolate melted shapes....i grated white chocoltae around the top and added three strawberrys in the middle. VERY presentable for adults. loveeed it .. moist. tasty and couldnt keep it for long enough!

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• Louise

  17 August 2008

  Louise rated and commented on this recipe

  

  I make this again and again. It's easy, the children love it, it's not too sweet, and because of the wholemeal flour and yoghurt not as naughty as some cakes. My children prefer it with Smarties on top, though!

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• Jakus

  17 August 2008

  Jakus rated and commented on this recipe

  

  This is a five star cake, was really popular, and easy to make.

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• patricia

  25 August 2008

  patricia commented on this recipe

  I'm disappointed with this cake. It has a very heavy texture and the icing is way too sweet. Very stodgy, won't be making it again.

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• my recipies

  01 September 2008

  my recipies commented on this recipe

  the recipe states a quarter of a teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda

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• Melanie

  07 September 2008

  Melanie rated and commented on this recipe

  

  This is a fantastic cake. I followed the recipe exactly, but I baked it in two loaf tins because I cut it up to make into a steam train cake for my son's birthday (an engine + 3 carriages) and iced it with my own icing (not the recipe above.) The cake was easy to make and delicious. I left it a day before icing (sealed in a container) and it was firm yet lovely and moist. Four days later, we are finishing off the last scraps and they are still moist and delicious. This is our new favourite chocolate cake recipe ... and the use of wholemeal flour is a good way to delude myself that it is healthy!

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• Angfen

  26 September 2008

  Angfen rated and commented on this recipe

  

  Delicious.... I left out the decoration and tasting yummy just the same.

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• SIMOON

  08 October 2008

  SIMOON commented on this recipe

  Great recipe! The yoghurt definately helps to keep this cake moist and it seems to last ages! Had more than enough icing too. Would recommend this cake recipe! Its really easy!!

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• Cheryl

  08 October 2008

  Cheryl commented on this recipe

  I made this cake for my son's 2nd birthday party and it was a great success. Cutting it into squares before hand is great when there's loads of hungry kids who don't want to wait while you slice it up - also you can adjust the size accordingly to who's eating it! I made a ganache icing rather than the one in the recipe - heat 284ml double cream until almost boiling and then pour over 200g chopped dark chocolate and stir until smooth and glossy. It sets really well and doesn't run over the edge of the squares making it messy. My eldest son is diabetic and we found that the sponge was great for him as it wasn't too sweet and the wholemeal flour and yoghurt was healthy for everyone. Got loads of compliments and will definitly make again.

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• Sarah

  09 October 2008

  Sarah commented on this recipe

  I am new here, but thanks to all who have left comments - I now am decided - this is the cake to make for hubbys birthday Saturday. Even managed to get the HAPPY BIRTHDAY candles. I will come back and let you know my thoughts - however all yours make me think I am going to luuuuurveeee it as much as most of you did!! ;-)

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• nicole

  20 October 2008

  nicole commented on this recipe

  I am new here, just started baking and really cooking 2 months ago. I am so gonna bake this cake for my bf's birthday. I hope it will turn out nice like most of you said :) cheers

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• Sarah

  20 October 2008

  Sarah commented on this recipe

  This is the best cake ever. I have made this 4 or 5 times now and it disappears really quickly. I have a greedy family (and a large one) so I made double......and it didn't last any longer!It is lovely and moist and really easy to make. Because it has the yoghurt & the wholemeal flour I tell everyone its a "healthy" chocolate cake

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Ingredients

• 140g butter , plus extra for the tin
• 175g golden caster sugar
• 2 eggs
• 225g self-raising wholemeal flour
• 50g cocoa powder
• ¼ tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 250g natural yogurt

TO DECORATE

• 300g golden icing sugar , sieved
• 2 tbsp cocoa powder , sieved
• 1 tbsp butter , melted
• 3-4 tbsp boiling water
• 50g each white, plain and milk chocolate , broken into squares

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Difficulty and servings

Serves 12

Preparation and cooking times

Prep 20 mins

Cook 25 mins

Un-iced

Ingredients

• 140g butter , plus extra for the tin
• 175g golden caster sugar
• 2 eggs
• 225g self-raising wholemeal flour
• 50g cocoa powder
• ¼ tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 250g natural yogurt

TO DECORATE

• 300g golden icing sugar , sieved
• 2 tbsp cocoa powder , sieved
• 1 tbsp butter , melted
• 3-4 tbsp boiling water
• 50g each white, plain and milk chocolate , broken into squares

Per serving

432 kcalories, protein 6g, carbohydrate 65g, fat 18 g, saturated fat 10g, fibre 3g, salt 0.41 g

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