Maxine Gordon makes the perfect chocolate celebration cake.

THE festive season is fast approaching - a time of indulgence for sure.

This chocolate cake is perfect for any celebratory occasion, whether it be a birthday, feast day or gathering of the clan.

It's made with a chocolate custard, which raises it high above the level of the ordinary choc bake. It's from an old, favourite recipe book of mine, The Little Red Barn Baking Book, by Adriana Rabinovich (Ebury Press, 2000, £14.99).

• Devil’s Food Cake: For the cake:
280g plain flour
1tsp bicarbonate of soda
1/2 tsp salt
110g unsalted butter
195g caster sugar
2 eggs
225ml milk
For the custard:
1 egg
110ml milk
130g caster sugar
110g plain chocolate (minimum 70 per cent cocoa solids) chopped into small pieces
For the chocolate buttercream:
55g unsalted butter, at room temperature
200g icing sugar, sifted
50g cocoa powder
3tbsp double cream (or milk will work too)


Method:

1. Pre-heat oven to 180C/GM4. Butter and flour two 23cm-round cake pans.

2. First, make the custard by lightly whisking eggs in a bowl. Add milk and sugar and whisk until smooth. Pour into a small saucepan and stir over a medium heat with a wooden spoon until it thickens (can take 10-15 minutes). Stir in chocolate chunks until melted, continue stirring until consistency of double cream. Remove from heat and cool.

3. In a clean bowl, sift the flour, bicarbonate of soda and salt. In a separate bowl, cream the butter with the sugar until pale and fluffy. Add the eggs, one by one, until mixture looks like mayo. Add in sifted dry ingredients alternately with the milk. Mix until combined, then fold in the cooled, chocolate custard.

4. Pour between the two tins and bake for 20-25 minutes until ready (check that a skewer comes out clean). Turn cakes out after ten minutes and leave to cool.

5. Make the buttercream: cream butter, sugar and cocoa until smooth. Add cream/milk to create correct consistency. This amount should cover the top and sides of a 23cm cake, make some more if you like lots of frosting.

5. Sandwich together with the buttercream, and spread some over the top too. Sprinkle with chocolate shavings if you like.

Twitter: @MaxineYGordon