Chicken Soup for the Soul, Chocolate Cake for the Monday Blues

Well, I finally managed to find a spare hour that nobody hijacked this afternoon. So without haste I dusted off the apron and rooted out the baking tins to rustle up a chocolate delight to brighten up a dreary Monday. I'm not Mondays biggest fan, I would rather skip right through to Tuesday each week. But, that not being an option the next best thing to do is eat chocolate cake. Deliciously moist, with a crisp chewy shell and moreish butter cream filling chocolate cake.

I have mentioned before the cake my Mam would bake when I was a little girl, the one for which I do not possess a recipe. So I had to pop on the aul thinking cap and transport my self back to the four or five year old girl I remember enjoying said cake with such gusto.

I can still see to this day in crystal clear clarity, or HD if your a big tech freak, the bottle green floral carpet I lay outstretched, belly down, on. I can hear yis all muttering to yourselves, 'bottle green, Jaysus!' I know it was probably as horrendous as it sounds, but sure back in the 80's it was only massive. Well it must have been, cos Mam was a bit of a stylish wan, it's where I got my impeccable taste and all round general fabulousness from, well that & my gorgeous little Daddy who wouldn't be caught dead leaving the house unless his tie and handkerchief are matching. Anyways, I remember lying there as I have said, in front of the three bar electric fire scorching the left hand side of myself while the rest of me stayed shivering. Them yokes were brutal altogether for giving out heat, unless you were no more than five inches from it you may as well forget about it. The place would be like Siberia even if you splashed out and but on all three bars together, a very rare occurrence let me tell you, it was always just the two bars unless it snowed. So I'm there with my legs swinging behind me, staring from the big orangey pattern (I know, it just gets worse) on the carpet to the old Grundig tele, remember the ones with the wooden frames and the twisty knobs instead of buttons. Honest to God, you'd swear from the get up in the house that I'm ancient but I'm not, I'm only a child. I'm practising me writing at the mo for the upcoming annual correspondence with your man Santa. So back to the carpet and the 19 o splash Grundig special and the three bar electric heater. Mam is singing away in the kitchen as always, a habit I have inherited much to the protestations of all around me, and the oven is on working its magic on the muddle of ingredients inside. Oooooh, and when it was ready I'd sit myself up and fold me little legs (no change there unfortunately) in front of myself all yoga like and clutch the chunk of loveliness in my hands before devouring, delicious!!!

And so it was with these fuzzy headed memories that I set about the task of recreating this true piece of comfort food to banish the Monday blues. Where to start with no recipe to work from? It was quite a simple creation so I decided a madiera base would be as good a place as any. And would you believe, it was! The addition of some cocoa powder did just the job to produce a moist, light chocolate sponge. Now for the butter cream. This is the part I remember best from the original, but I decided to (Jesus I hope she doesn't get wind of this) aim for a minor improvement. Instead of chocolate butter cream made with cocoa powder I decided on, you'll never believe this, a bit of chocolate instead. Who'd have thought it. Nothing but the best 70% cocoa solids chocolate melted and lovingly mixed in hit the nail squarely on the head. It was only gorgeous, and when it was combined with the sponge, sure it was nothing less than a match made in heaven. At the risk of you all electromocuting yourselves sitting there salivating over your keyboard I shall divulge the recipe without further ado. Enjoy, well it's only Monday once a week after all.

Little Hands Chocolate Sponge Sandwich

Serves 6-8

• 175g/6oz Unsalted butter(softened)
• 175g/6oz Sugar(normal granulated)
• 3 eggs
• 2tbsp Cocoa Powder
• 225g/8oz Plain Flour
• 1tsp Baking Powder
• 2tbsp Milk

1. Preheat the oven to 170°C/325°F/Gas 3. Grease the sides of a 20cm/8" round, 18cm/7" square cake tin and line the bottom with a piece of grease proof/parchment paper.
2. Cream the butter in a mixing bowl. (The butter should be softened and not used straight from the fridge to ensure a light sponge)
3. Add the sugar and cream for a further minute.
4. Add the eggs one by one, beating continuously.
5. Add the cocoa powder and beat lightly to combine.
6. Sieve the flower and baking powder into the mixture and fold to combine, then add the milk.
7. Place the mixture into the prepared tin and bake in the preheated oven for 55-65 minutes.
8. When a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean the cake is ready.

For the Butter Cream filling:

• 250g/9oz Icing Sugar
• 125g/4½oz Butter, softened
• 30g/1oz Plain Chocolate (70% cocoa solids), melted
• 1-2 tbsp Milk or Cream

1. Cream the butter and sugar together.
2. Add the melted chocolate and fold in.
3. Add the cream an stir.
4. Once the cake has cooled cut it in half and spread the bottom half with the butter cream filling. Put top half back in place and dust lightly with cocoa powder.