So that pretty special get together I mentioned in the last blog. It was my Pop’s 90th. 90 years, not bad going hey. Pop got the royal sponge cake treatment…more on this, and him, later. It was also my cousin Jacinda’s birthday, and while it’s hard to compete with a 90 year old legend, she’s also pretty darn great and definitely deserved a birthday cake of her own.

In steps Simplicity Chocolate Cake. The name pops up numerous times throughout Nana’s books. I googled it and there are about a billion google entries that come up. Turns out everyone has the same thoughts about this cake. . . it’s so simple, yet so delicious. . . and I couldn’t agree more. This is exactly the kind of recipe that I needed after the trials and tribulations of the Sponge Cake (yes, I promise, more on that later).

You will need:

• 1 cup castor sugar
• 1 1/2 cups self raising flour
• 3 levels tablespoons cocoa
• 1/4 cup boiling water
• 1/4 cup melted butter
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 egg
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla essence

Do this:

Place the sugar, sifted flour, cocoa which has been dissolved in the boiling water, melted butter and milk in a bowl.  Beat on an electric mixer or with a wooden spoon until well blended.  Add egg and vanilla and beat until smooth.

Line the base of a 20cm ring tin with paper (I can already hear my mother muttering that this should be the first thing I do – after clearing my bench of course) and grease the tin.  Spoon in the mixture.  Bake at 180C for 35 minutes.  Cool a minute or two then turn on to a wire rack.

When cold, ice with chocolate icing.  I couldn’t resist sprinkling some desiccated coconut on top – Nana would have appreciated this touch.

Looking through Nana’s recipe books

Oh and the cake one more time

Love Kath and Kate xx