Anyone got an easy recipe for a "posh" chocolate cake?

[miao]

Ideally one that is rich and moist but doesn't use thousands of eggs and take the whole afternoon to make. I only possess one cake tin so sandwich is pretty much out. Also, I don't have any icing sugar in, would plain chocolate mixed with creme fraiche be OK for a topping?

Any one got any ideas? I need to make a birthday cake that will impress. Tall order I know...

TIA

Mrs Beetons sunday afternoon cake is very nice I'll try and find it for you

I meant Mary Berry!!!! can't find it at the moment but my friend made this the other day and it was lovely link{http://www.nigella.com/recipes/recipe.asp?article=1094\here}

whoops! here

Here's that Mary Bery one choccake

Haven't checked egg content but Gordon Ramsey has a delish sounding one which is on the new Good Food website. Google BBC Good Food and do a cake search - it sounds lovely and v rich!

Nigella Lawson has a fab recipe in her 'How to Eat' book - really easy but yummy. No beating/whisking, just easy mixing. Icing is made with chocolate and cream, if I remember correctly.

Can be made with just one tin as well.

If you are interested I'll copy it out for me - just let me know!

Thanks everyone, I ended up making the Mary Berry one as it was easiest with what I had handy. However, I now have another one to make for a party next week so may well use the Gordon Ramsay one if I've got the time.

Starrmum - what's the Nigella one? I found one in her Nigella Bites book, but it's horribly long and fussy in that one, in fact that's what spurred my OP. Can I access the recipe from her website to save you writing it out?

I know it's too late for now - but this is my favourite chocolate cake recipe, it's all soft in the middle and yummy. I use half the recipe for my sandwich tin as it's very runny when it goes into the oven and goes everywhere!!

Chocolate Cola Cake
by James Martin

Servings: Makes 10-12 slices
Level of difficulty: Intermediate
Preparation Time: 25 minutes
Cooking Time: 50 minutes

Ingredients
oil, for greasing
250g self-raising flour
generous pinch of Bicarbonate of soda
3 heaped tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
300g golden caster sugar
2 eggs, beaten
1 tsp vanilla extract
250g Butter
175ml cola
250ml Milk

For the frosting:
200g icing sugar
100g Butter
2 tbsp cola
2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/gas 4. Grease a 24cm loose-bottomed cake tin.

1. Sift the flour into a bowl. Mix in the bicarbonate of soda, cocoa powder and sugar.

1. Stir in the eggs and vanilla extract.

1. Put the butter in a saucepan and melt over gentle heat.

1. Add the cola to the butter and stir to mix, making sure mixture does not boil. Stir in the milk and remove from the heat.

1. Quickly whisk the cola mixture into the dry ingredients. Mix gently but thoroughly.

1. Pour the mixture into the prepared tin. Bake for about 40 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.

1. Leave to cool in the tin for about 15 minutes.

1. Meanwhile, make the frosting. Sift the icing sugar into a bowl. Put the butter in a saucepan and melt over gentle heat. Stir in the cola and cocoa powder. Bring the mixture to the boil, then pour it over the icing sugar. Beat until smooth.

10. With the cake still in the tin, pour the frosting over it and leave in the tin until completely cool.

Cooks Notes:
Double the frosting ingredients if you like your frosting extra-thick.