Chocolate Cola Cake

 

 Chocolate cake is not something you will see in my house very often. I just adore chocolate myself, but Todd is not fond of it at all. He likes chocolate bars and chocolate candy, but he absolutely abhors chocolate cakes, cookies and brownies.

   

 I know!!! Hard to imagine eh? I, on the other hand, love chocolate cakes, brownies, cookies, puddings, candies, bars . . . probably too much if I want to be truthful, so it's not something that I have in the house very often . . . as I just can't trust myself not to over do it.

   

 On New Years day we were having people over for dinner so I made a lemon tart and then this fabulous chocolate cake. (Todd doesn't like lemon anything either, so he was out of luck! He didn't really mind because he loves Christmas Cake and there was still lots of that about!)

   

 I just love this cake. It's moist and deliciously chocolatey. The icing and cake alone are just wonderful, but when you serve it with the addition of some mini marshmallows and this delicious chocolate sauce . . . well, this takes it to fabulous! 

 It is the combination of several of my favourite recipes, all rolled into one. Well, if you're in for a penny, you're in for a pound, right? (I have tried to give the measurements in North American measurements as well, as closely as I can)

   

  *Chocolate Cola Cake* serves 8

  Printable Recipe 

 A deliciously moist chocolate cake with a chocolate cola buttercream icing. Serve with a tasty chocolate sauce and some mini marshmallows for an extra special treat. 

 For the cake: 

250g butter (1 cup plus 2 TBS) 

250g self raising flour (1 3/4 cup) 

300g golden caster sugar (11/2 cup) 

3 heaped TBS cocoa powder, sifted 

generous pinch of baking soda 

200ml of cola drink (slightly more than 3/4 cup) 

75ml milk (1/4 cup) 

2 large eggs, beaten 

1 tsp vanilla extract 

 For the buttercream icing: 

60g butter, softened (4 1/2 TBS) 

200g icing sugar, sifted (1 1/2 cups approx.) 

2 to 3 TBS cocoa powder, sifted 

2 TBS cola drink 

 For the sauce: 

4 ounces heavy cream (1/2 cup) 

3 Tbsp butter, cut into small pieces 

70g caster sugar (1/3 cup) 

60g dark brown sugar, firmly packed (1/3 cup) 

pinch salt 

60g sifted cocoa powder (1/2 cup) 

 To serve: Mini marshmallows 

 Pre-heat the oven to 180*C/350*F. Butter a 9 inch loose bottomed round cake pan. Set aside. 

 Whisk the flour, sugar, cocoa powder and baking soda together in a large bowl. Melt the butter and cola together. Add to the dry ingredients along with the milk, eggs and vanilla. 

 Mix gently but thoroughly. Pour into the prepared pan. 

 Bake for 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean. Remove to a wire rack to cool. 

 Beat together all the ingredients together for the icing until smooth and fluffy. Spread over cooled cake. 

 To make the sauce, melt the butter and sugars together until they no longer feel grainy. Whisk in the cream and heat through. Whisk in the cocoa powder until smooth. 

 Cut the cake into slices to serve. Sprinkle with some marshmallows and spoon some of the chocolate sauce over top.