Chocolate birthday cake

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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 61-80

• LisaC1973

  13 February 2009

  LisaC1973 commented on this recipe

  I made this for my son's birthday and it was very easy and very delicious. However, next time I don't think I'll use all wholemeal flour - maybe half and half or all white flour. It gave the cake a very bran-y texture and I don't think this would be to everyone's taste. I also agree with some of the other comments that the topping was very sweet and could be replaced with a different option. I also used the melted chocolate in a piping bag to write a birthday message on the top. All-in-all though, a lovely cake that can be easily adapted to your own personal taste!

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• Taz

  15 February 2009

  Taz commented on this recipe

  I made this cake for my family but it didnt turn out so well was dissapointed wont be making it again. The cake was too soft and broke everytime I tryed to cut it and I had to throw the icing away because it tasted horrible and cover it with chocolate buttercream.

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• Scrummy

  19 February 2009

  Scrummy rated and commented on this recipe

  

  First time I've baked a birthday cake... used self raising flour and covered in Smarties - worked brilliantly and was so moist... Everyone loved it and was so impressed by my first attempt of baking!

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• EmmaHT

  28 February 2009

  EmmaHT commented on this recipe

  I have a baking tin which is 30cm x 24cm - am wondering how much I could scale up the recipe and how long to bake for. Think the size will be good for children's party and I am going to ice it as a Pirate Map for my 4 year old's birthday.

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• shany B

  03 March 2009

  shany B rated and commented on this recipe

  

  Im making this for my sons b.day tomorow cant wait looks great

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• nathalie

  05 March 2009

  nathalie rated and commented on this recipe

  

  I used a slightly deeper tin so needed longer (4o mins) to cook, used dark melted chocolate as the topping and used strawberry yoghurt instead of plain. Was delicious.

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• Dianne

  19 March 2009

  Dianne rated and commented on this recipe

  

  great cake. it was liked so much that i had to make two! i changed the icing but only because i personally prefer it a different way

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• sr13

  01 April 2009

  sr13 commented on this recipe

  I want to make this cake as it sounds really nice . I was just wondering in total how much does it cost to get all of the ingredients ? I must try it out ! It has alot of good reviews and everyone else is pleased so hopfully It works out the same for me .

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• NLWILLIAMSON

  16 April 2009

  NLWILLIAMSON rated and commented on this recipe

  

  Adults loved this - kids ate the icing and left the cake. Well apart from my daughter who seems to eat anything. I think the kids could sense this was healthy! I will make it again to ensure that this type of cake is the norm in our house!

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• MissReebie

  20 April 2009

  MissReebie commented on this recipe

  Made this cake with my daughter for her birthday. Used a 9" square cake tin and baked for the recommended time and it was fine. Made only half the icing amount as 300g sugar sounded an awful lot, it seemed enough. I found decorating with melted chocolate very tricky though - it was too runny and hot in the piping bag! Next time I'll make some standard butter icing. Daughter really enjoyed making it and it our party guests loved it.

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• Michele

  12 May 2009

  Michele commented on this recipe

  Ok this is the dumb person's question, but what is the difference between baking powder and bicarbonate of soda? The baking powder makes the cake rise right? So what does the soda do? Do you have to put it in?

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• Toya

  12 May 2009

  Toya commented on this recipe

  hi! i would love to make this cake but I have a problem...I can't get the self raising flour. How much baking powder should I use? thanks!!

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• Jennifer T

  13 May 2009

  Jennifer T rated and commented on this recipe

  

  Have just done this for youngest's birthday. Made it in a 8" square tin, and baked for 45 minutes as recommended elsewhere here. Really easy to make. Went half/half with wholemeal SR/normal SR flour. Brushed top with marmalade, iced with ready made roll out icing. Went down a storm! Nice and moist. Icing added a bit of sweetness, but not too much - the cake on its on is very chocolatey but not very sweet. Definitely one to make again :)

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• Michele

  14 May 2009

  Michele commented on this recipe

  HI Toya, I posted the same question elsewhere and: 1 cup of flour = 1 teaspoon baking powder. Now all we have to do is convert 1 cup to grammes!!!

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• Jimmy

  20 May 2009

  Jimmy commented on this recipe

  Looks gorgeous, could you double the ingredients and make a larger cake please comment back as soon as possible please

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• kitkat

  09 June 2009

  kitkat rated and commented on this recipe

  

  Made this for my mother in laws birthday at the weekend and although it was really easy to make, it took longer to cook (about 45 minutes) and tasted really bland and disapointing. I have definately made better chocolate cakes before. The adults didn't like the texture of the bran either. Although saying that it was demolished by the 5 kids over the course of the day (plus doggy bags!!) Oh and for anyone worrying about the tin size - if you have a local cookware shop ask if they have a rental service as this size is quite common in the foodie world...

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• ac84

  14 June 2009

  ac84 commented on this recipe

  Will someone tell me that can I use plain flour instead of whole meal flour?

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• sweet_like_sugar

  21 June 2009

  sweet_like_sugar rated and commented on this recipe

  

  I made this recipew ithout the yogurt and I added some milk and it worked just as well. I topped it off with solidified melted chocolate and it was delicous. A great recipe.

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• Zoe

  25 July 2009

  Zoe commented on this recipe

  I've made this now twice and today thought I'd try and put the mixture in muffin cases rather than a cake tin - it worked brilliantly and comes out less dense than muffins but moister than fairy cakes!

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• debsieeg

  27 July 2009

  debsieeg commented on this recipe

  Lovely cake but i had to cook it for about an hour and 20 minutes not 20 minutes!!! I used a round cake tin maybe thats why - still lovely and moist though!

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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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