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Delia Smith All-in-One Chocolate Cake Recipe

Delia Smith All-in-One Chocolate Cake Recipe

Delia Smith's all-in-one chocolate cake recipe means every ingredient goes into one bowl, no separate creaming or folding.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Cooling Time 40 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 25 minutes
Servings: 10 Slices
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: British
Calories: 425
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • Cake:
  • 200 g self-raising flour
  • 50 g cocoa powder
  • 1½ tsp baking powder
  • 200 g caster sugar
  • 200 g unsalted butter softened
  • 3 large eggs
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 4 tbsp hot water
  • Chocolate Icing:
  • 150 g dark chocolate broken into pieces
  • 100 ml double cream
  • 25 g unsalted butter

Method
 

  1. Preheat oven to 180°C (160°C fan / Gas 4). Grease and line a 20cm round tin.
  2. Combine flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, sugar, butter, eggs and vanilla in one bowl.
  3. Beat for 2–3 minutes until smooth.
  4. Add hot water and beat briefly to a soft, dropping consistency.
  5. Pour into the tin and bake for 35–40 minutes until a skewer comes out clean.
  6. Cool in the tin 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
  7. Melt chocolate, cream and butter together until smooth for the icing.
  8. Once slightly cooled and thickened, spread the icing over the cooled cake.

Notes

Butter must be properly softened, not melted, for the batter to combine smoothly.
The hot water is essential for both texture and flavour — don't be tempted to skip it.
Let the icing cool and thicken slightly before spreading so it doesn't run off the cake.
Freeze the un-iced sponge for up to 3 months; ice fresh once defrosted.
Works equally well as a traybake — bake in a 30x20cm tin for 25–30 minutes.