Simple but fun chocolate birthday cake suitable for 11 year old to make please.

[laundryeverywhere]

My dd is quite good at baking and wants to have a go at doing my birthday cake by herself. I would like a nice moist chocolate cake with a not too sweet icing/filling that can have extra bought decorations and candles added on top.

This sachertorte adapted from a Roger Pizey recipe is v.easy,, as is this icing from Charles Campion:

Cake (serves about 10-12, also bakes well if quantities halved):

175g dark chocolate broken into small pieces (I use a mix of 81% & 60%)
120g butter, cubed, at room temperature
150g caster sugar (I often use vanilla sugar to make the cake less rich)
5 large eggs, separated
150g plain flour
Half tsp baking powder

1.Pre-heat the oven to 180C (170C if fan) and line a 23-25cm springform cake tin with baking parchment
2.Put the chocolate into a pan with a dash of cream, or a couple of the butter cubes. Melt over a very low heat, stirring occasionally. Once melted, remove from the heat and set aside
3.Cream the butter in a large bowl until soft and add half the sugar
4.Cream until pale and fluffy then add the egg yolks one at a time, beating thoroughly to incorporate after each addition

1. Now add the cooled chocolate and mix well until fully combined
2. Mix the flour and baking powder together and then fold into the cake mix with a metal spoon
3. Whisk the egg whites to soft peaks, adding the remaining sugar one tablespoon at a time, whisking well between each addition

Gently fold the egg whites into the mix then turn into the cake tin

1. Bake for around one hour, or until a cocktail stick inserted into the centre comes out clean.
2. Remove from the oven, allow to stand in the tin for 10 mins, then turn out onto a wire rack and remove the parchment

Icing

Once the cake is completely cool, add the icing:

200g dark chocolate (60 - 70% solids)
Two tablespoons golden syrup
75g unsalted butter, cubed at room temperature

1.As with the cake, melt the chocolate with either a cube of butter or a dash of cream over a very low heat

1. Once the chocolate has begun to melt, add the golden syrup and stir occasionally until the chocolate is fully melted and the syrup incorporated
2. Remove from the heat, add the butter and beat or whisk as the mixture cools
3. Once it thickens to a 'spreadable' texture, pour over the middle of the cake and use either a fork or palette knife (depending if you want rough or smooth) to cover top and sides.
4. Add other decorations at the soft set stage (about 10 mins after spreading)

Hope you have a good birthday!

Thanks so much, if we made half quantities would a 6" tin be Ok?

If you've got a food mixer, this www.nigella.com/recipes/view/old-fashioned-chocolate-cake-119 is a good one. It makes a lot of icing though, so it might be too sweet for what you're after?

That looks nice too ohthepressure and maybe a little easier for dd. I wonder if we could do that cake, with a different icing?

A six inch tin would be fine for half quantities. You could maybe do ohthe's cake and use the icing from mine? It's definitely not sweet and really only consists of melting, stirring and spreading.

Thanks I will let dd choose which one for my birthday and maybe do the other one some time over Xmas.

dd decided to have a go at the sachertorte. Will let you know how it goes. We are going to make the 6" one, I think it should bake for about 45mins as its smaller, is that right? Also it should be 2 eggs or 3? Sorry for all the questions! I am on a strict diet and haven't had cake for ages, so I am keen for dd to get this just right.

Yay! Yes, I'd say 40-45 mins sounds about right. Have to admit I tend to go by the 'can smell cake, must stick skewer in' to test. Generally it's ready to come out about five minutes after you can smell it cooking.

Maybe go for 3 medium eggs rather than attempting 2.5 large?

Thanks so much I am very excited for cake!

(P.S. - goes quite well with a nice glass of too!)