Cockeyed chocolate cake and a selection of toppings

Many years ago, my mom had a recipe book that contained all sorts of shortcuts and lazy ways to do stuff. It was by Peg Bracken, and I think it was called "The I Hate to Cookbook". I still use some of the recipes out of it today. I used this one just last week. My son and three of his classmates pulled an all-nighter in our lounge, watching videos as part of their history studies on counter-culture (they're also planning to visit Jimi Hendrix's house in London... I wish my history syllabus had been so interesting!).

What makes this recipe a bit different is that you mix it up and bake it in the same container, so make sure you choose a container that will work for both activities. You're not going to get a prizewinning cake top sell at a WI stall, here. You're going to get something suitable for the family or for a horde of teenagers.

Oven temperature

180C

Ingredients

750ml sifted flour
45ml cocoa
5ml bicarbonate of soda
250ml sugar
2.5ml salt
75ml cooking oil
15ml vinegar
5ml vanilla extract
250ml cold water

Method

• Grease a baking tin, preferably a round one, about 23cm in diameter, and about 5cm deep.
• Put sifted flour back into the sieve with cocoa, sugar and salt and sift it straight into the baking tin.
• Make 3 hollows. Into one, pour the oil, into the second, pour the vinegar and into the last, pour the vanilla.
• Dissolve the bicarb in the water and pour it over the whole lot.
• Mix it all up with a spoon until it is almost smooth and no dry flour is visible.
• Bake for about 30 minutes or so until the sponge is firm to the touch. Test with a skewer for readiness (the skewer should come out dry and clean).
• Turn the cake out onto a cooling rack for topping later.

Toppings

You could just eat the cake as is with custard, cream or ice cream, but I'm going to spoil you today with a list of possible cake toppings that you can try with this recipe or any other cake/cupcakes you bake:

Matchmakers

1. After Eights, Matchmakers or peppermint creams (I used Matchmakers on this occasion). Spread chocolates all over the top of the baked cake, pop it back under the grill for a moment or three until they melt, and then spread them with a knife.
2. 500ml icing sugar, sifted with a pinch of salt. Add 5ml vanilla extract and then beat in a little cream. Add cream until you get the consistency you want. Spread this over a cooled cake.
3. Remove the cake(s) from the oven about 5 minutes ahead of schedule. Allow to cool slightly. Spread with a mixture of 60ml softened butter, 160ml brown sugar,  30ml cream, and 'some' chopped nuts/dessicated coconut. Return to the oven for the last 5 minutes, or until the frosting bubbles (whichever is the longer).
4. Place a marshmallow on top of each cupcake, or space them evenly across the top of a larger cake and pop under the grill under the marshmallow browns.