Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

I love the Easter holidays…well, any holiday really! Everyone is off, the weather is not too miserable and it's a time for indulgence. So here's the ultimate yum yum treat, my Cocoa-late cake…

For the Cake

1. 16 oz margarine (at room temperature)

2. 16 oz caster sugar

3. 12 oz self raising flour

4. 4 oz cocoa powder

5. 2 tsp baking powder

6. 8 eggs

7. 3 tsp vanilla extract

For the Ganache

This is major cheating, but I bought a tub of Betty Crocker Chocolate Fudge icing. Ssshhh, don't tell anyone, but it was on sale and covers this cake perfectly! 

Steps

1. Use a mixer to beat the margarine and caster sugar until you barely feel the sugar granules.

2. Add in the eggs- one at a time and mix in-between every addition.

3. Sift the self raising flour and baking powder- again add a small batch at a time. I usually divide into three parts, and this means that the flour can mix properly. 

4. Now add the cocoa powder and vanilla extract.

5. Slowly mix in, so that the mixture remains fluffy. 

And that's pretty much it. Preheat the oven at 150degrees, and grease your baking tin. Seriously, this needs to be done properly otherwise you'll end up with a sad 'sticky' toffee pudding after all your hard work! Place in the oven and cook for an hour. After this time, poke a toothpick in the centre of the cake, and if it comes out dry and without any mixture on it, it's done! 

Now remember this is a serious chocolate cake, so diabetics beware!