160 g/51/2 oz caster sugar
1/4 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda (baking soda)
4 tablespoons cocoa powder
50 g/2 oz butter, plus extra for greasing
120 ml/4 fl oz milk
1 medium egg, lightly beaten
175 g/6 oz self-raising flour
Icing
225 g/8 oz icing sugar
3 tablespoons cocoa powder
3–5 tablespoons milk
3–5 tablespoons melted butter
sprinkles, hundreds and thousands, grated chocolate, sweeties, to decorate
1 Put the sugar, bicarbonate of soda, cocoa powder, butter, milk and 4 tablespoons water into a saucepan and bring to the boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Remove the pan from the heat and leave to cool completely.
2 Preheat the oven to 180°C (Gas Mark 4). Grease and line a 20-cm/8-inch round cake tin.
3 Stir the egg and flour into the cooled mixture, making sure that everything is well mixed. Scrape the mixture into the prepared tin and bake for 30 minutes or until a wooden cocktail stick inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean.
4 Remove the tin from the oven, turn out the cake on to a wire rack to cool and remove and discard the lining paper.
5 To make the icing, sift together the icing sugar and cocoa powder into a bowl. Add the milk and melted butter alternately, 1 tablespoon at a time, and mix well after each addition. Stop when the icing is spreadable but not stiff.
6 Spread the icing over the cooled cake with a palette knife and decorate according to taste. The icing sets very quickly.
Okay guys – couldn't be easier. 