We Are Golden

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I made this.

I'm ridiculously proud of it. 

Ridiculously because it is SO EASY to make. There's even a video to follow for those who are unsure about icing it - like me.

RECIPE

Ingredients

For the cake

• 225g/8oz plain flour
• 350g/12½oz caster sugar
• 85g/3oz cocoa powder
• 1½ tsp baking powder
• 1½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 2 free-range eggs
• 250ml/9fl oz milk
• 125ml/4½fl oz vegetable oil
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 250ml/9fl oz boiling water

For the chocolate icing

• 200g/7oz plain chocolate
• 200ml/7fl oz double cream

Preparation method

1. Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4. Grease and line two 20cm/8in sandwich tins.
   
   
   Watch technique0:33 mins
2. For the cake, place all of the cake ingredients, except the boiling water, into a large mixing bowl. Using a wooden spoon, or electric whisk, beat the mixture until smooth and well combined.
3. Add the boiling water to the mixture, a little at a time, until smooth. (The cake mixture will now be very liquid.)
4. Divide the cake batter between the sandwich tins and bake in the oven for 25-35 minutes, or until the top is firm to the touch and a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean.
5. Remove the cakes from the oven and allow to cool completely, still in their tins, before icing.
6. For the chocolate icing, heat the chocolate and cream in a saucepan over a low heat until the chocolate melts. Remove the pan from the heat and whisk the mixture until smooth, glossy and thickened. Set aside to cool for 1-2 hours, or until thick enough to spread over the cake.
7. To assemble the cake, run a round-bladed knife around the inside of the cake tins to loosen the cakes. Carefully remove the cakes from the tins.
   
   
   Watch technique0:32 mins
8. Spread a little chocolate icing over the top of one of the chocolate cakes, then carefully top with the other cake.
9. Transfer the cake to a serving plate and ice the cake all over with the chocolate icing, using a palette knife.
   
   
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   The golden colour comes from a Dr Oetker spray I found in my corner shop. It's also available here if you can't find it locally. It does do this to your kitchen, however:
   
   
   
   
   
   Required listening during the making of this cake:
   
   
   
   
   
   

Easter

So tomorrow it's Easter Sunday. The Minis are returned. We've cleaned the house, walked The Dawg a lot and BAKED. Boy, have we ever baked. Look, the Minis made these.

Aren't they little culinary geniuses?! 

Happy Easter

Tests

Today was.....interesting.

Friday morning I cuddled the Minis extra hard and long and wished them a wonderful week with their Father. I went to work, handed in my notice (that's a whole new post!) and spent the afternoon in the sunshine. Saturday and Sunday were uneventful but lovely - wine, sunshine and friends featured heavily.

Monday, today, I got up early. At 7.30am there was a knock at the door. Standing on the doorstep was VeryPregnantFriend, ready to take me off to hospital.

Now don't panic, nothing is seriously wrong. I just had tests to see what exactly is causing me pain when I eat. It's called a Gastroscopy. They sedate you, push a camera down your throat, you try not to claw off their faces and then when you come round they feed you tea and digestive biscuits.

Easy really.

They didn't tell me the sedative would be quite so strong.