Guess who’s birthday it is today? Mine and for a change somebody made me a cake (although I was the Sous chef). The kids I look after made me this amazing chocolate cake with a strawberry mousse filling. Now I know my cake and this is definetly GOOD (with capitals). I make cakes almost everyday of the week and now have become a bit of a cake snob (I’m also a croissant and pain au chocolat snob. Since living in Paris I only eat croissants or pain au chocolats if they meet my criteria).

 The cake recipe is from Nigella Lawson’s Feast, although half way through we had to improvise (no golden syrup or raspberries and the cream didn’t whip). But everything worked out well. And I must say this is one of the best birthday cakes (or chocolate cake) I’ve had in a while, extremely moist sponge and a kids doddle to make (a 10 & 13 year old made it). So if you need a fool proof chocolate cake recipe, this is the one.

A special thank you to the Lois & Camille Soleil who made the delicious cake and took the picture above.

Chocolate cake with strawberry mousse fillling
Adapted from Nigella Lawson’s Feast

For the cake

150ml milk
1 tbsp butter
1 tbsp vanilla extract
3 eggs
200g caster sugar
175g plain flour
3 tbsp best cocoa
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda

For the filling

250ml whipping cream
3 tbsp caster sugar
1 leaf of gelatine
200g strawberries

For the ganache

150ml double cream
150g dark chocolate
2 tbsp sugar (if desired)
strawberries or any kind of berries for decoration

23 cm round tin

Preheat the oven 170°c. Grease the tin. Pour the milk into a small pan with the butter and heat until warm and the butter is melted. Add the vanilla.

Whisk the eggs with the sugar until really frothy. Meanwhile sift the flour, cocoa and bicarb together. While beating the egg mixture slowly pour in the warm milk/butter mixture. Fold in the flour mixture. Pour into the tin. Bake for about 40 minutes or until knife comes out clean.

Leave to cool on wire rack. Cut the cake in half. Meanwhile whip up the cream until stiff, add sugar halfway through. Soak the gelatine in ice cold water. Wash the strawberries, chop and then mush up with a fork. You want a strawberry purée consistency. Fold the strawberries into the mixture. Squeeze out the water from the gelatine. Melt the gelatine over a low heat, add a couple of spoons of the cream mixture to the gelatine. Mix until well combined and then pour it into the rest of the cream mixture.

Spread the cream mixture over one half the cake. Place the top on. And put the cake into the fridge for 30 minutes.

To make the ganache. Break the chocolate into small bits. Heat the cream until boiling, pour over chocolate. Leave for 30 seconds until chocolate starts to melt. Stir until smooth. Pour over cake when the ganache is body temperature. Decorate the cake as you like.