Sehrish's old-school chocolate cake

“This gorgeous chocolate cake with incredible chocolate custard is properly retro. Sehrish remembers having it at school, and it really is nostalgic comfort food at its finest. We’ve recreated it here with plenty of quality cocoa powder and extra chocolate shavings for maximum chocolatey indulgence. ”

Ingredients

• 60 g quality cocoa powder
• 100 g unsalted butter , (at room temperature)
• 300 g golden caster sugar
• 4 large free-range eggs
• 200 g self-raising flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 150 ml whole milk

CHOCOLATE CUSTARD

• 1 litre whole milk
• 50 g light soft brown sugar
• 50 g custard powder
• 50 g quality cocoa powder
• 50 g quality dark chocolate , (70%), plus extra to serve

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180ºC/350ºF/gas 4. Grease and line a 20cm square baking tin.
2. To make the cake batter, mix the cocoa powder with 100ml of just-boiled water until smooth.
3. In a large mixing bowl or free-standing mixer, beat the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.
4. Pour the cocoa mixture into the bowl, followed by the eggs. Sieve in the flour, baking powder and 1 pinch of sea salt, then pour in the milk and mix again until smooth.
5. Pour the cake batter into the prepared tin and bake for 40 to 45 minutes, or until cooked through and an inserted skewer comes out clean. Leave to cool in the tin for 15 minutes.
6. When you’re almost ready to eat, make the custard. Warm the milk in a heavy-bottomed pan over a medium heat until just-boiling.
7. Mix the sugar, custard powder and cocoa powder together in a large jug.
8. Remove the milk from the heat and, whisking as you go, slowly add half to the jug.
9. Pour the custard mixture back into the milk pan and return to the heat.
10. Cook the custard over a low heat until thick, stirring continuously, then break in the chocolate, remove from the heat and stir until melted. Pour into a serving jug.
11. Cut the cake into squares while it’s still warm. Serve with a generous helping of hot custard and a few extra shavings of chocolate.

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