Chocolate cake: the perfect dessert to sorprise your guests!

A creamy and delicious dessert ready in no-time!

INGREDIENTS:

For the cake layer:

125ml (1/2 cup) milk

30ml (2 tbsp) lemon juice

150g (3/4 cup) sugar

175ml (3/4 cup) vegetable oil

250g (2 cups) cake or maida flour

40g (1/3 cup) cocoa powder

4g (1 tsp) baking powder

3g (1/2 tsp) baking soda

250ml (1 cup) warm soya milk

For the greasing:

15ml (1 tbsp) vegetable oil

For the whipped cream layer:

250ml (1 cup) whipping cream

50g (1/2 cup) powdered sugar (or to taste)

For the chocolate topping:

30g (1/4 cup) cocoa powder

50g (1/4 cup) sugar

60g (3 tbsp) butter

125ml (1/2 cup) milk

For the decoration:

chocolate chips

METHOD:

 In a bowl whisk milk with lemon juice, add sugar and vegetable oil and mix until sugar dissolves.

 Sift in flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and baking soda and start mixing it. Add the warm soya milk and continue to mix until smooth.

 Transfer the batter into a greased baking pan lined with parchment paper.

 Bake at 170C/340F for 20-25 minutes. Remove the cake from the oven and let it cool completely. Take the cooled cake out of the baking tin and remove the parchment paper.

 Line the same baking tin again with parchment paper, long enough to line the bottom of the pan with extra hanging over the sides. Return the baked cake layer to the pan.

 Prepare cream layer: use a hand mixer to whip heavy cream and powdered sugar until stiff peaks form. Pour the prepared cream on top of the cooled cake. Transfer to the fridge to cool for at least 2 hours.

 Once the cake has chilled, make the chocolate topping: In a small saucepan, combine butter, cocoa, sugar and milk. Bring to a simmer and cook for 1 minute stirring constantly. Let cool a bit.

 Pour the chocolate mixture on top of the cream layer. Refrigerate again for 1 hour or until set.

 Once the cake has set, take it out of the baking pan using extra parchment paper sides. Cut the cake into rectangles and decorate each rectangle with chocolate chips. Serve and enjoy!