A Chocolate Cake or is it?

By, Guest Writer: Rashmi Madhan

Happy Birthday!

Once upon a time, it was actually few weeks ago but seems much longer, I made this lovely foodie friend on line called Shruti, the Facebook Foodie World is responsible for my meeting two such Shruti’s but who’s counting! Anyway, she and I had an instant connection and very soon the simple swapping of recipes lead to her inviting me to post my recipes on her Blog. The response has been overwhelming and ever so sweet that I feel truly blessed to have connected with her. Now she has invited me to her 3rd Blog Anniversary Party. For its Birthday, her Blog has put on bright new clothes and is looking so bright and cheerful that it needs a cake or maybe three. So I thought I would take three Cakes to her party and then the viewers can decide which one they like best. The truth is that I have this Chocolate Cake that dresses up in different clothes for Birthday Parties. It looks fine on its own and doesn’t really need to dress up but then what’s the fun of a party if you can’t dress up.

It can be a plain simple Chocolate Cake and this is what it looks like when it hasn’t really put on party clothes.

Here it is still warm from the oven and served at a homely tea with just a generous dollop of fresh cream for company.

Oh yes, the recipe, well here goes:

INGREDIENTS:

250 grams Butter (at room temperature)
2 ¼ (two and a quarter) Cups Plain Flour
1 ¾ (One and three-fourths) Cup Castor Sugar
¾ (three-fourths) Cup Cocoa Powder
2 teaspoons Bicarbonate of Soda
Sift all dry ingredients together.
1 ½ (One and a half) Cups Milk (at room temperature)
1 ½ (One and a half) tablespoons White Vinegar
2 teaspoons Vanilla Extract
4 large eggs (at Room temperature)

METHOD:

– Pre-heat oven to 160 degrees Centigrade.
– Grease a deep 22 cms round cake pan and line with baking paper. I used a spring-form pan.
– Add vinegar to milk and set aside.
– Place butter, vanilla, sugar, sifted dry ingredients, eggs, milk mixture in a large bowl and mix together till combined.
– Beat with an electric beater on a medium speed for two minutes. DO NOT OVERBEAT.
– Pour the mixture into your pre-prepared pan and bake for 1 hour and 10 minutes. Let the cake cool in the pan for five minutes and then turn onto a wire rack to cool.

Linking this recipe to Shruti’s ‘Sweet Celebration’ Event