Super Quick Chocolate Cake

I have a really busy week this week so time and patience are in short supply.  There's nothing like one of your children giving you very little notice of an event that requires you to bake a cake to fill you with dread joy.  Fitting in time to bake this week is a tough challenge, and I am really knackered.  Therefore I needed a cake that was fast and easy to make as well as tasting delicious, but also one that would keep well for a couple of days.  I baked this Quick Chocolate Cake using buttermilk which made the cake lovely and moist.  The cake kept well for a couple of days and I think the flavour improved on keeping as well.

115g butter

125g dark chocolate, I used Divine 70%

220g caster sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

440ml buttermilk (or 410ml milk and 30ml lemon juice left to sit for 10 minutes)

3 free range eggs

260g plain flour

1 tsp bicarbonate of soda

½ tsp baking powder

Icing

100g butter

100g dark chocolate, I used Divine 70%

Grease and line a 23cm deep springform or loose bottomed cake tin.  Preheat your oven to 180C/160C Fan.

Melt the butter and chocolate together, either in the microwave or in a saucepan over a low heat.  Be careful not to over heat the mixture.  Whilst the chocolate and butter are melting mix together the sugar,  vanilla, buttermilk and eggs.  Pour in the melted butter and chocolate mixture, beat to combine.  Once mixture is totally combined add all the dry ingredients and fold them through until the mixture is smooth.

Pour the batter into your prepared cake tin.  Bake for 40 – 50 minutes minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.  Cool the cake in the tin for 10 minutes before turning out onto wire rack to cool completely.

To make the icing:

Ensure the cake has cooled completely before you ice it.  Heat the butter and dark chocolate together, either in a saucepan over a very low heat or in the microwave.  If heating in the microwave stir the mixture every 30 seconds until melted and combined.  Pour over the cake and leave to set.