Chocolate Birthday Cake

Sometimes in life the simplest things are the best. A simple chocolate sponge with chocolate buttercream is the perfect birthday cake and it’s what I remember from birthday cake growing up.

This is a three tier chocolate sponge cake sandwiched with chocolate buttercream. The sides and top have been covered in a thin layer of chocolate buttercream. A single row of piped stars around the top hold the large chocolate buttons and some pink sprinkles complete the cake. You could use different colour sprinkles for a boy or something more sophisticated for an adult. This cake says homemade and yummy and it’s not trying to be anything it’s not.

Recipe

Chocolate Sponge Ingredients

250g butter

250g caster sugar

4 large eggs

250g SR flour

75g cocoa powder

Buttercream Ingredients

300g icing sugar

150g butter

50g cocoa powder

A splash of milk

Decorations

Large chocolate buttons, sprinkles or any decorations of your choice

Method:

Grease and line three 8″ (20cm) sandwich cake tins. Set the oven to 175°C.

Cream the butter and sugar until pale and creamy. Add the eggs one at a time and beat until incorporated. Sift in the flour and cocoa powder together and fold into the mixture. Spoon into the tins and level very lightly – if you want even layers you can weigh them out.

Cook for about 15-20 minutes or until firm to the touch. Turn out on to a cooling rack.

To make the buttercream, beat the butter until soft and creamy and then add the sieved icing sugar and cocoa powder. Beat until smooth and creamy and if the icing is a bit stiff add a splash of milk to give a better consistency.

When the cake has fully cooled sandwich the layers together with some of the buttercream. Smooth more buttercream over the sides and top and finish with decorations of your choice. Finish off with candles.

A chocolate cake as promised for the birthday girl – Happy 5th Birthday, Abby!

Categories: Baking, Birthday cakes, Cakes, Recipes

Tags: birthday, cake, chocolate