Chocolate Mud cake

This is such a well behaved sponge, I make it really often. It's so simple and normally I have all the ingredients in the cupboard and fridge ( if you don't have sour cream use double cream with 2 tsp of lemon juice).

I never really liked chocolate cake before this one and to be honest I'm still not a lover of the artificial tasting shop bought ones. However this moist, just about right chocolate flavour cake is so good that I haven't found anyone who doesn't like it. Great for a wedding topper, birthday cake or just for an afternoon tea cake. It's like a little black dress that you can dress up or down..............

With a chocolate collar and strawberries

165 g softened butter
300 g caster sugar
3 Eggs
65 g S/R flour
200 g plain flour
1 tsp bicarb
70 g cocoa powder
200 ml of sour cream & 50 g cream cheese mixed together

cook for an hour @ 180

Mix caster sugar and butter until light and fluffy, add eggs one at a time beating in between each egg. Sieve flours bicarb and cocoa into a bowl, add half to mixture, fold in, add half of sour cream & cream cheese, fold in, then repeat with both, spoon into a 8 inch prepared tin.

Cook for about an hour, leave to cool for 10  mins before turning out onto a wire rack.

I like to create little holes in the top with a cocktail stick and spoon a couple of spoons of a liquor over, either raspberry or orange are my favourites.

I cover with either a buttercream flavoured with the liquor, a chocolate ganache or a chocolate collar

With a chocolate collar topped with chocolate ganache