Nina’s Chocolate Cake

"My mother always said that Sylvia’s chocolate cake was the best, and she was right”.

Today we are showcasing a recipe that Nina has made countless times. It was her Mum’s recipe (Sylvia - hence the name of the recipe).

I am very happy to continue showcasing members of this family. Nina is the sister of John who was featured earlier (hearty beef stew!). 

I don't really know what traits are hereditary within a family, but I do know that everyone in this family seems to be special in their own, beautiful way. 

I asked Nina's daughter (Julia – what a great name!) if I could feature her mum. John told me earlier that a few years back, Nina put together a very special book of all the beloved recipes in their family, and if you know me, and you know what Recipes on Paper is all about, you will know that my heart swelled with happiness hearing this. 

Word’s from Nina’s Daughter, Julia.

My mother always said that Sylvia’s chocolate cake was the best, and she was right. I have tried many different versions – from packet mixes to exorbitantly expensive “mudcake” recipes – and none are as delicious as this one. It stays moist, has few steps and doesn’t use expensive ingredients. My mother always said her secret weapon was the silver tablespoon Sylvia passed on to her for cooking. The spoon is bent, sharp on one edge where it is constantly scraped against the surface of a bowl and has a weighty handle that sits warmly in my hand. Mum always mixed in a “figure 8” pattern as well. “The only way to make sure the ingredients are properly combined.”

To this day, the cake is best cooked in the old beaten-up aluminium heart shaped tin she always used, and topped with a simple icing sugar, butter and water concoction that creates a mirrored glaze on top (into which we would routinely press all manner of things from banana chips to coloured sprinkles and dried roses…). My mother has the sweetest tooth of anyone I know, but this cake is not overly sweet, letting the cocoa powder do its thing quite nicely. 

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Sylvia’s Simplicity Chocolate Cake

Is there anyone who doesn't find comfort in a slab of chocolate cake? Even writing the words 'chocolate cake' makes me feel like everything in life is going to be ok. Now, I know what you're thinking - “but I already have a trustworthy chocolate cake recipe”. Well, the truth is, so do I. But THIS recipe is so easy. Once you have measured out the ingredients, the cake is done in two steps. I REPEAT. TWO STEPS! I almost had to read it again to make sure I hadn't missed anything. And the end result is divine.

As I get older, I need quick, easy & trustworthy recipes and I have absolutely found that in this recipe. The best part? It's bloody delicious. Like, really delicious.   

The recipe is taken directly from Nina’s cookbook.

 Enjoy. 

Ingredients:

• 3 tablespoons butter

• 2 level tablespoons of cocoa

• 1 cup SR flour

• 1 cup sugar

• ½ cup milk

• 2 eggs

• ½ teaspoon vanilla

Method:

Melt the butter. Put all other ingredients in a bowl and pour melted butter on top. Beat really hard for 3 minutes. Pour mixture into a ring cake tin (well-greased and flour-dusted) and bake in a moderate oven. If the oven is too hot, the cake will rise too quickly and boil over. “Be careful not to overcook and it will stay deliciously moist for days.” (Mum’s words!).

Mum never did say how to make the chocolate icing, precisely, but I remember her just dumping icing sugar in a bowl with a generous knob of butter. She would then trickle in hot water and beat the lot with a knife until the desired consistency was reached. She added more icing sugar or hot water or butter as was needed. The hot water will melt the butter, obviously, and then when it is on the cake, the butter will cool and make the icing go stiff. She used a knife dipped in hot water to spread it on the cake - top, sides, and inside the “funnel”. Just make sure the icing is not to moist or “sloppy” and nor too hard or “doughy”.

I always’ line the ring tin with a little butter and then greaseproof paper just to make sure the cake doesn’t stick. These days you can use a paper called Baking Paper and it’s really good.

The paper will allow fool-proof removal. Don’t use non-stick cook spray and so-called Non-Stick baking tins are utterly useless.