A cake recipe from our archives, this bake was originally developed in the 1920s as an ingenious way to use up sour milk, as the cost of fresh milk would have been high, so it was important to ‘guard against waste’. We have used soured cream here. As it’s not too sweet, it’s ideal served in the afternoon with a cup of tea.
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Yields:
8 serving(s)
Prep Time:
35 mins
Cook Time:
1 hr
Total Time:
1 hr 35 mins
Cal/Serv:
472
Ingredients
FOR THE CAKE
125g
unsalted butter, softened, plus extra to grease
50g
dark chocolate, chopped, plus extra, grated, to sprinkle
2Tbsp.
milk
225g
plain flour
1tsp.
baking powder
175g
granulated sugar
2
medium eggs, beaten
1tsp.
vanilla extract
175ml
soured cream
FOR THE FROSTING
125g
granulated sugar
1
medium egg white
Pinch cream of tartar
YOU WILL ALSO NEED, OPTIONAL
A sugar thermometer
Directions
Step 1Preheat oven to 180°C (160°C fan) mark 4. Grease and line a 20.5cm round tin with baking parchment. For the cake, melt the chocolate in the milk in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of barely simmering water. Set bowl aside to cool for 10min. Sift the flour, baking powder and a pinch of salt into a separate bowl.
Step 2In a further separate medium bowl, using a handheld electric whisk, beat the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy. Gradually beat in the eggs, followed by the cooled chocolate mixture and vanilla.
Step 3Using a large metal spoon, fold in alternate spoonfuls of the flour mixture and soured cream, until both are fully incorporated. Scrape into the lined tin and smooth to level. Bake for 45min, or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Leave to cool in the tin for 5min, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Step 4For the frosting, in a small pan heat the sugar and 75ml water over low heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Turn up the heat and bubble until the mixture reaches 115°C on a sugar thermometer, or until a little dropped into cold water will form a soft, pliable ball.
Step 5In a heatproof medium bowl, using a handheld electric whisk, beat the egg white and cream of tartar until it holds stiff peaks. Gradually beat in the hot sugar syrup, adding it in a thin stream while beating constantly. Carry on beating until the outside of the bowl feels cool.
Step 6Transfer the cake to a serving plate or cake stand and spread frosting over the top. Sprinkle over some grated chocolate and leave to set for 10min before slicing.
TO STORE Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days (the icing will develop a slight skin).
If you don’t have time to make the sugar syrup frosting, top with a simple glacé icing instead and leave to set before slicing.
An experienced and highly skilled team of food writers, stylists and digital content producers, the Good Housekeeping Cookery Team is a close-knit squad of food obsessives. Cookery Editor Emma Franklin is our resident chilli obsessive and barbecue expert, who spends an inordinate amount of time on holidays poking round the local supermarkets seeking out new and exciting foods. Senior Cookery Writer Alice Shields is a former pastry chef and baking fanatic who loves making bread and would have peanut butter with everything if she could. Her favourite carb is pasta, and our vibrant green spaghetti is her weeknight go-to. Lover of all things savoury, Senior Cookery Writer Grace Evans can be found eating crispy corn and nocellara olives at every opportunity, and will take the cheeseboard over dessert any time (though she cannot resist a slice of tres leches cake). With a wealth of professional kitchen know-how, culinary training and years of experience between them, they are all dedicated to ensuring every Good Housekeeping recipe is the best it can be, so you can trust they’ll work (and if they don’t – we’ll have the answer for why*) every time (*90% of the time the answer is: “buy an separate oven thermometer”!).
