Easy Chocolate Birthday Cake
Easy
Try this chocolate birthday cake, perfect for a kids party. A moist chocolate layer cake filled and topped with Nutella icing then easily decorated with colourful Smarties and candles.
SERVE
8-10
Easy Chocolate Birthday Cake
Easy
Introduction
Try this chocolate birthday cake, perfect for a kids party. A moist chocolate layer cake filled and topped with Nutella icing then easily decorated with colourful Smarties and candles.
Ingredients
- 225g plain flour
- 85g cocoa powder
- 1½ tsp baking powder
- 1½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
- 350g caster sugar
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 eggs
- 250ml milk
- 125ml sunflower or canola oil
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 250ml boiling water
- 170g unsalted butter, softened
- 190g icing sugar, sifted
- 2 tbsp milk
- 200g Nutella
- ½ tsp salt
- 150g Smarties
- 30g small chocolate beans, optional
- Multi-coloured candles
FOR THE CAKE:
FOR THE ICING:
TO DECORATE:
Method
- 1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/gas 4. Grease two 20cm/8inch cake tins and line the bottoms with parchment paper.
- 2. <h5>For the cake:<h5>
- 3. Sieve together the flour, cocoa powder and raising agents in a large bowl. Whisk in caster sugar and salt. In a medium sized jug, whisk together the wet ingredients except the boiling water. Add to the dry ingredients and mix with a whisk or electric mixer until mixture is smooth. Slowly add the boiling water and mix until well combined. Batter will be very liquid. Divide batter evenly between prepared cake tins and bake until a toothpick inserted comes out clean, about 25-35 minutes. Remove from oven and leave to cool completely on a wire rack, still in their tins. Before decorating, turn out from tins and remove parchment paper.
- 4. <h5>For the icing:<h5>
- 5. Beat the butter in a large bowl with an electric mixer until smooth. Add the icing sugar and milk and beat until well mixed. Beat in Nutella and salt.
- 6. <h5>To assemble:<h5>
- 7. Place one layer of cake on a serving plate then evenly spread half of the Nutella icing with a spatula neatly to the edges. Place the second sponge layer on top and spread the remaining Nutella icing neatly to the edges. Strew Smarties on top, starting from the outside edge and working your way in. Sprinkle smaller chocolate beans over the Smarties, if using, then place the candles.
- 8. Remove candles before serving and use a sharp knife to cut slices, cleaning the knife between each cut.
- 9. Cake will keep for 4-5 days in an airtight container.
