The 30 Year Old Birthday Smartie Cake

The first time my mum made this cake was 30 years ago for my older sister's 1st birthday. She used a Mary Berry recipe from a recipe book she bought in 1978! The recipe has never changed but the smarties were my mum's idea... not Mary's. It's really not a fancy cake, but it's something that's become a tradition every year for my birthday and I love it. 

In case you haven't noticed, it's my birthday tomorrow... have I not been talking about it enough?! 

If you want to try our simple, but very yummy chocolate cake, here's the recipe! 

What you'll need:

6 1/2 oz (165g) plain flour

2 level tablespoons (30ml) cocoa

1 level teaspoon (5ml) bicarbonate of soda

1 level teaspoon (5ml) baking powder

5 oz (125g) caster sugar

2 level tablespoons (30ml) golden syrup

2 large eggs

1/4 pint (150ml) sunflower oil

1/4 pint (150ml) milk

Fudge Icing

2 oz (50g) butter

4 level tablespoons (60ml) cocoa

3 tablespoons (45ml) milk

5 oz (125g) icing sugar, sieved

Decorations of choice

For the cake

- Heat the oven to 325F or 170C

- Grease and line the bottom of two 20cm sandwich tins with grease proof paper

- Sift together the flour, cocoa, bicarbonate of soda and baking powder into a bowl
- Add the oil and the milk to the dry ingredients 

- Add the sugar, syrup and the eggs lightly beaten

- Use an electric mixer or a wooden spoon to mix everything together until you have a smooth batter

- Pour the mixture equally into the two prepared tins

- Bake the cakes in the centre of the oven for 30-35 minutes, until the cakes spring back when lightly pressed with fingertips

For the icing

- Melt the butter in a pan, add the cocoa, stir to blend and cook for 1 minute

- Stir in the milk and icing sugar and mix to a smooth consistency

- Leave to cool and thicken

- Spread half the mixture between the two cakes and the remainder on top (and let drip down the sides)

I will be scoffing my face on this tomorrow. Yum! 

Let me know if you try it! Tweet me @lilypebbles

Lily xx