Deeply dark, moist and flavourful but retaining a light airiness it is rapturously good and the slender slivers of mango add a slightly sweet tang.
I’ve thought a lot about what to top it with. A chocolate ganache? A smooth deeply flavoured icing? However I feel both of these would be gilding the lily. This gloriously rich concoction does not need a fancy topping — ice it or glaze if you wish but a little sifted icing sugar and cocoa powder is all that is needed.
When it comes to decorating your Easter celebration cake you can go a little wild. I called into a supermarket and stocked up on chocolate decorative goodies and then had fun arranging all those foil-wrapped bunnies on top.
Chocolate cake with a hint of mango
Makes 16 slices
180ml brewed espresso coffee, or strong black instant coffee. Hot and black
100g dried mango slices, cut into slivers
50g cocoa powder
250g self-raising flour
1 tsp baking soda
180g brown sugar
2 large eggs, size 7
180ml (¾ cup) plain
greek yoghurt
125ml (½ cup) olive oil
1 tsp white wine vinegar
Method
Line the base with non-stick baking paper and lightly oil the sides of a 23cm round cake tin.
Preheat the oven to 180°C.
Pour the hot coffee into a small bowl, add the slivered mango slices and leave to soak.
In a large bowl sift together the cocoa powder, self-raising flour and baking soda. Stir in the brown sugar. You may need to rub any lumpy bits in with your finger tips. Set aside.
Beat the eggs until thick and frothy gradually beating in the yoghurt, olive oil and the white wine vinegar. Stir in the coffee and mango mixture. Make a well in the centre of the dry ingredients and stir in the wet ingredients. Do not over mix. Pour into the greased and lined cake tin and smooth the top.
Bake for 40 to 50 minutes until a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean. Remove the cake from the oven and cool in the tin for about 20 minutes. Use a knife to loosen the edges and turn out on to a serving platter. Decorate as you wish.
The cake will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for 4-5 days.
