best RECIPES
Treat yourself with one of these indulgent recipes. You’ll want to make them time and time again…
Strawberry Chocolate Celebration Cake
This cake is surprisingly simple to make – the fragrant buttercream and chocolate glaze transform it into a wow-factor showstopper!
Hands-on time 40min, plus cooling and chilling. Cooking time about 1hr. Serves 20
FOR THE CAKE
• Unsalted butter, to grease
• 175g good quality cocoa powder, sifted, plus extra to dust
• 350g plain flour
• 500g granulated sugar
• 1tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 2tsp baking powder
• 100ml vegetable oil
• 300ml tub soured cream
• 350ml hot strong coffee
• 6 medium eggs
• 1tbsp vanilla extract
FOR THE BUTTERCREAM
• 200g hulled strawberries
• 400g unsalted butter, softened
• 800g icing sugar
FOR THE DRIP
• 75g dark chocolate, chopped
• 50g unsalted butter
TO DECORATE
• Whole strawberries
1 Preheat oven to 180°C (160°C fan) / mark 4. Grease the sides of 2 x 20.5cm (8in) round cake tins with butter, then dust the sides with cocoa powder (tap out the excess). Line both bases with baking parchment.
2 For the cakes, in a large bowl mix the flour, sugar, cocoa, bicarb, baking powder and a large pinch of fine salt. In a separate jug mix the oil, soured cream, coffee, eggs, and vanilla. Add the wet ingredients to the dry bowl and whisk to combine.
3 Divide evenly between cake tins and bake for 50-55min until a skewer inserted into the centre of cakes comes out clean. Allow to cool in tins for 5min, then transfer the cakes to a wire rack to cool completely.
4 For the buttercream, roughly chop strawberries and whizz to a purée. Set aside. Using a freestanding mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or a handheld electric whisk and a large bowl), beat butter to soften. Sift in half the icing sugar and slowly beat to combine. Sift in remaining icing sugar and add strawberry purée, continue to combine. Turn up speed and beat for 30sec until light and fluffy.
5 Trim the cakes to level if needed. Slice each cake in half horizontally. Sandwich the layers back together using roughly half the buttercream. Next, spread a scant layer of buttercream over top and sides of cakes. Chill for 20min.
6 Neatly spread over the remaining buttercream. Chill again for 20min. Meanwhile, make the drip. Melt chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of barely simmering water. Stir until melted. Cool for 5min.
7 Pour drip over the chilled, iced cake, encouraging it to pour down the sides. Allow to set for 15min before decorating the top with strawberries, if you like. Serve in slices.
PER SERVING 630cals, 7g protein 30g fat (1
