Holiday Chocolate Cake

Chocolate Cake

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C and grease your tins well.
2. If you’re using a Bundt tin, dust it lightly with cocoa powder instead of flour so it releases cleanly.
3. In a large bowl, add 2 cups of flour, 1 cup of sugar, 2 tsp baking powder, 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda, 1/2 cup cocoa powder, and a pinch of salt, then beat everything together briefly so it’s evenly mixed.
4. In another bowl, whisk 2 eggs, 1 cup milk, and 1/2 cup melted coconut oil until smooth and glossy.
5. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and beat gently until just combined. Don’t overmix here; stop once the batter looks smooth.
6. In a heatproof jug, stir 2 tsp instant coffee or vanilla essence into 1 cup boiling water, then slowly pour it into the batter while mixing on low speed. The batter will be thin; that’s precisely what you want.
7. Pour the batter into your prepared tins, filling them no more than 3/4 full.
8. Bake at 180°C for about 30 minutes, checking at the 25-minute mark.
9. A skewer should come out mostly clean with a few moist crumbs.
10. Let the cakes cool in the tins for 10 mins, then turn out onto a rack and cool completely before icing.

Chocolate Icing

1. In a microwave-safe jug, heat 1/2 cup milk with 2 Tbsp coconut oil or butter for about 1 minute until hot, not boiling.
2. Stir in 1 tsp vanilla essence or 1/2 tsp instant coffee and mix well.
3. In a large bowl, combine 2 cups icing sugar and 4 Tbsp cocoa powder.
4. Slowly pour the hot milk mixture into the icing sugar, whisking until smooth and glossy.
5. Add a splash more milk or icing sugar if needed until it’s pourable but thick.
6. Pour the icing over the completely cooled cake and decorate however you feel like. Sprinkles, grated chocolate, or just leave it plain.