A Chocoholics Simnel Cake

I'm going to have to change the name of this cake to 'Saving My Bacon Two Easter's In A Row Cake'!  Last year, in the midst of wedding prep and trying to loose weight for the dress I decided to make a WW recipe for Chocolate Easter Nests for the family to enjoy when they came to visit.  The result was little rubber like discs that tasted revolting so I turned to my trusty Good Food Magazine that had a picture of this cake by James Martin.  Thankfully I had all the ingredients to hand so it was ready for afternoon tea and it went down a treat.

This year I was inspired after seeing Poires Au Chocolat's version of a Sinful Chocolate Simnel Cake to make my own version.  My downfall was trying to tick off more than one box with the recipe, It was not only going to be a chocolate Easter cake and the first cake to christen my new cake stand (it was a Christmas present that only arrived last weekend ~ long story but better late than never!), but also my next CBC, and as if that wasn't enough, it was also going to be my first ever entry in A Slice Of Cherry Pie's Easter Cake Bake.  It ended up in the bin - a complete disaster!  I tried to make a Chocolate Truffle Cake, a Donna Hay recipe no less so you can imagine my disappointment when the cake turned out like rubber (I'm beginning to notice a theme developing here!) and the chocolate ganache split in the most dramatic of ways!  Sigh.

Then I remembered this cake saving my bacon last year and got to work.  If it turned out OK, maybe I could still enter it into the cake bake.  I modified it a bit from last year, using a different icing which is now my all time favourite icing ever and will be going on all my cupcakes, slices, cookies, macaroon's and just about anything else I can feasibly get away with.  We took it with us to feed the troops yesterday as we helped Mother-In-Law move flat and it was quickly devoured, the cake was light, fluffy and moist with the icing sweet and smooth.  Yippee!

James Martin's White Chocolate Cake
250g butter, plus a little extra for greasing
140g white chocolate, broken into pieces
250ml milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
250g SR flour
1/4 tsp bicarbonate of soda
300g caster sugar
2 large eggs
12 Ferrero Rocher
White Chocolate Frosting
100g white chocolate
140g unsalted butter
140g icing sugar

Heat the oven to 160C/fan 140C.  Grease a deep 23cm cake tin and line the base with greaseproof paper.  Place the butter, white chocolate, milk and vanilla extract in a small saucepan, then heat gently, stirring, until melted.  Combine the flour, bicarb and sugar in a large bowl with a pinch of salt, then stir in the melted ingredients and eggs until smooth.  Pour the batter into the tin, then bake for 1 hour, or until the cake is golden and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.  Cool in the tin.  Once cool, the cake can be wrapped in clingfilm and foil, then frozen for up to 1 month.

To make the frosting, melt the chocolate in a heatprrof bowl set over a pan of gentlysimmering water. Leave to cool. Beat the butter and icing sugar in a large bowl until creamy. Beat in the chocolate. Cover and chill until ready to use (can be chilled for up to one month).

Serves 12
Cake recipe from Good Food
Icing recipe also from Good Food

Last year I decorated this with hazelnuts but for Easter mini eggs would also work. To turn this into a Simnel Cake I placed 12 Ferrero Rocher around the outside instead of marzipan balls.  To me, a Simnel Cake is very definitely an Easter Cake, I know in the UK its more of a Mothering Sunday tradition but as Mother's Day for us Aussie's is in May Simnel Cake has always been associated with Easter for us.  So what better way to celebrate than with a chocolate version.