Chocolate Celebration Cake

I was recently offered a job, and so thought I deserved a bit of chocolate cake. So I rustled this one up - dead simple, cheap (no eggs or butter in the cake) and super delicious. Chocolate orange celebration cake. Recipe to follow.

Chocolate orange cake -  


1 1/2 cups plain flour
1 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup cocoa powder (I always use Bournville)
1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons vegetable oil 
1 tablespoon white vinegar (could also use apple cider vinegar)
1 teaspoon vanilla OR orange essence
1 cup cold water

• Preheat oven to 175C and lightly grease a 9"x9" baking pan (or similar sized round pan).
• Stir together the dry ingredients in a large bowl, make a well in the middle.
• Mix wet ingredients together in another bowl, then pour into the well in the dry ingredients.
• Stir until just combined and no large lumps are left - don't over-beat or the cake will become dense.
• Bake in the middle of the oven for 28 minutes, until centre springs back to the touch or a knife inserted comes out clean. Leave to cool completely.

Chocolate frosting - 

1/4 cup unsalted butter

1 1/2 tablespoons cocoa powder

2 cups icing sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla essence

2-3 tablespoons milk

• Beat together the butter and the cocoa until a smooth paste is formed. 
• Add icing sugar by the 1/2 cup until thick and doughy. Stir in the vanilla.
• Add some of the milk until the frosting is smooth, glossy and has the desired spreading consistency. Add more sugar for a stiffer frosting that can be piped onto the cake.