My Family Favourite Chocolate Cake Recipes

Steps:

• In a bowl, combine the first six ingredients. Add egg and butter; mix well. Pour into a greased 8-in. square baking pan. Bake at 350° for 30-35 minutes or until cake tests done. Cool. Dust with confectioners' sugar.

Steps:

• Cream the margarine and the sugar until light and fluffy. I personally prefer to lessen the amount of sugar as I don't like things overly sweet but 80z is the original recipe.
• Whisk the eggs into the sugar/margarine mixture.
• Slowly add the flour, baking powder and cocoa. Sieve these to avoid lumps (especially in the cocoa).
• Stir in a figure of 8 fashion. Gradually add enough water to loosen the cake mix up a bit. It should be the consistency of a slightly thin custard.
• Pour into a non stick cake tin, preferably with loose bottom. I use an 8'' round tin for this cake.
• Bake on a middle/top shelf in the oven at 180 c for around 45 mins or until a skewer comes out clean.
• Remove from tin and cool on wire rack. Once cooled, top with chocolate icing, frosting etc or dust with icing sugar and cocoa powder.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 180°C/160°C fan/gas 4/350°F then grease a cake tin and line it with baking parchment. Put the plain flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt into a large bowl. Whisk to combine.
• If you don't have buttermilk, pour the milk into a large jug and add the lemon juice. Leave to stand for five minutes until thickened.
• Whisk the buttermilk/acidified milk into the melted butter and egg followed by the coffee or water.
• Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients, whisking until a smooth batter has formed. It will be very runny, and if you are making more than one layer, the best way to divide it between the tins is to transfer the batter to a large jug. You can then use either the markings on the jug to measure the amount going into each tin, or put a tin on the scales and measure by weight. It is important to do this so that the layers are the same height and cook at the same rate.
• Bake for 25-30 minutes until risen and a skewer inserted comes out clean. Leave to cool in the tin for ten minutes before turning out onto a cooling rack.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. Line three 9-in. round baking pans with waxed paper; grease and flour the pans and paper. Set aside., In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy, 5-7 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla. Combine the flour, cocoa, baking soda, salt and baking powder; add to the creamed mixture alternately with milk, beating well after each addition., Transfer to prepared pans. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 20-25 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely., For frosting, in a small heavy saucepan, melt chips and butter over low heat. Transfer to a large bowl; cool for 5 minutes. Stir in sour cream. Gradually beat in confectioners' sugar until smooth. Spread between layers and over top and sides of cake. If desired, top with chocolate curls. Refrigerate leftovers.