Nanny Byrne's Devil's Food Cake

My nan has been making this cake for the past 20 years or so and it's a firm family favourite. She makes it all year round for every celebration and it is always demolished (mainly by me). The cake is very rich and moist and eats VERY well. I warn you that one slice will not be enough.


This is not a secret recipe, it was taken from a magazine, but there's one ingredient you wont be able to get…my nan's magic touch! The recipe below is from the original but this is by no means the exact recipe as she cooks from memory. We get different versions of the cake depending on what she has remembered, but it is always delicious!


ENJOY!

INGREDIENTS

CAKE

200g self raising flour

275g caster sugar

1 and a quarter tsp bicarb

1 tsp salt

50g cocoa

125g butter/margarine

225ml milk

2 large eggs

1 tsp vanilla extract

FROSTING

75g plain cooking chocolate

175g butter

125g icing sugar

3 eggs separated

Preheat Oven to 180 degrees/gas mark 4. Grease 2 8in tins.

Sift all of the dry ingredients together and then mix in the butter and the milk. Whip then stir in the eggs and add vanilla extract. Mix well.

Divide the mixture between the two tins and bake in the oven for 40 minutes.

To make the frosting, melt the chocolate in a bowl. In a separate bowl cream the butter and sugar, then beat in the egg yolks. Add to the melted chocolate and mix well. Whip the egg whites until stiff and fold into the frosting. 

Let the cake cool and then spread a thick even layer of frosting over the top of one half. Place the other half on top and spread the remaining mixture evenly over the entire cake (see below).

Sometimes my nan grates dark chocolate over the top, or sprinkles hundreds and thousands.