Old fashioned chocolate cake

I fell in love with this chocolate cake from Nigella Lawson’s Feast from the very first bite – not simply because it’s Nigella’s recipe, but because it’s genuinely delicious. It immediately reminded me of the classic Polish murzynek chocolate cake, yet there’s something extra special about it: incredible moisture, an intensely chocolatey flavour and a wonderfully soft crumb. I’m sure I’ll be using this cake as the base for many future creations. The chocolate frosting has a slightly powdery, almost fudgy texture, which may not be to everyone’s taste, but I personally loved it. Altogether, it makes a beautiful cake that looks elegant enough to serve as a celebration cake.

Ingredients for the chocolate cake:

• 200 g plain flour
• 200 g caster sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
• 40 g cocoa powder
• 175 g unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 2 large eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 150 ml soured cream

All ingredients should be at room temperature.

It couldn’t be easier. Place all the ingredients into a food processor (or a large mixing bowl) and blend until you have a smooth, thick batter. The mixture is quite dense, so make sure it is thoroughly mixed with no lumps remaining.

Divide the batter equally between two 20 cm round cake tins, lined with baking paper on the base only. Smooth the tops.

Bake at 180°C for 25–30 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. The cakes may crack slightly during baking – this is perfectly normal and will be hidden by the frosting. Leave to cool completely.

Ingredients for the chocolate frosting:

• 75 g unsalted butter
• 175 g dark chocolate
• 300 g icing sugar, sifted
• 1 tablespoon golden syrup (or runny honey)
• 125 ml soured cream
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Melt the butter and chocolate together over a pan of barely simmering water. Leave to cool slightly. Stir in the golden syrup, soured cream and vanilla extract until combined. Sift the icing sugar into a separate bowl to remove any lumps, then beat it into the chocolate mixture until smooth.

If the frosting seems too thick, add 1 teaspoon of boiling water. It should be soft enough to spread easily but thick enough to hold its shape.

To decorate:

• sugar flowers (optional)

To assemble:

Place one cake layer onto a serving plate or cake stand. Spread over one-third of the frosting, leaving about a 2 cm border around the edge to prevent it from squeezing out. Top with the second cake layer. Spread another third of the frosting over the top and use the remaining frosting to cover the sides of the cake. Decorate with sugar flowers, if using, and chill briefly before serving.

Enjoy!