Black forest traybake
These will keep well for several days in an airtight container
MAKES 20 SQUARES
unsalted butter or vegetable oil for greasing
CAKE
75g cocoa powder
¾ tsp bicarbonate of soda
4 medium eggs
370g light muscovado sugar
180ml groundnut or vegetable oil
200g self-raising flour sifted
ON TOP
150g dark chocolate (50% cocoa) broken into pieces
2 tbsp golden syrup
2 tbsp whipping cream
100g Toblerone finely sliced
75g glacé cherries halved
- Whisk the cocoa with 200ml boiling water, whisk in the bicarbonate of soda and leave to cool for about 20 minutes. Preheat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4 and butter or oil a 30cm x 23cm traybake tin, 4cm deep – there is no need to line it unless you are planning to turn out the cake whole.
- Whisk together the eggs, sugar and oil in a large bowl, then fold in the flour, followed by the cocoa solution. Pour the mixture into the prepared tin and bake for 30-40 minutes until risen and firm and a skewer inserted at the centre comes out clean. Run a knife around the edge of the cake and leave to cool.
- To make the icing, gently melt the chocolate with the syrup and cream in a bowl set over a pan with a little simmering water in it, whisking until glossy and smooth. Drizzle the icing over the cake, scatter over the Toblerone slices and arrange the cherries here and there.
- Set aside to harden for a couple of hours before cutting into squares.
- These will keep well for several days in an airtight container.