Ava's Easy To Make Chocolate Cake :)

 It was the last day of Autumn and I'd planned an outing to a friends house to have cake and a cup of tea in the name of cancer research Australia's Biggest Morning Tea I was so looking forward to same but Master Picket Fence had other ideas and came down with a mighty big cold, and as those who have raised a two year old with a mighty big cold will attest....you wouldn't take them anywhere. We had a full day to spend at home and decided we'd whip up a cake to fill in some time.
  Now , I'm not the worlds best cook, I 'll announce that from the start, you will see my cake is unique looking , a little domed ...but we will get to that ;) First , here's a photo of my snuffly, cold ridden assistant.
This is a recipe out of my Grandmothers cook book, its filled with recipes such as " Ivy's lemon tarts" and " May's fruit cake"  from the days when you linked a good recipe to its owner. Days of community :) I remember these women, but they're names were prefixed with the word "Aunty" as in those times, a child always referred to adults as Mr or Mrs, never by a first name. Thus close family friends became Aunts and Uncles to differentiate between honorary family and outsiders. I think we all remember that era with fondness. It's a habit, these days, not seen so often.
OK, here's the ingredients..... you need around 125gms of butter, a dash of vanilla extract, 1 1/4 cups of caster sugar ( I let my hand slip here and add about I/4 more ..oops!) 1/2 a cup of cocoa, 2 eggs ( 3 if you like it muddy) 1 1/3 cups of self raising flour, about 2/3 cup of water.

 After  greasing your pan and preheating your oven to around 180 degrees Celsius. Throw it all in the large bowl of your electric mixer .Start on a low speed for about a minute and then wind it up to full speed for another 3 minutes . It should then look slightly paler...like this :)
 Bake it for around an hour trying not to burn the edges like I did (super cook I am not) and then let it cool in its tin for five minutes, turning it out onto a wire rack to go cold.
 Then its your choice, ice away or dust with icing sugar. Baby Picket Fence and I enjoyed ours with icing sugar, Mr Picket Fence enjoyed his with cream. The other Picket Fence children came home to a house that smelt like chocolate cake :) and I do believe had seconds.... Its a win win. Not a flash looking cake, but it's so easy, has a crunch to the outside ( the extra sugar) and a moistness to the inside.... big thumbs up in the family friendly ranks :)
  Hoping you have a lovely day, and fingers crossed the winter wind will blow the Picket Fence cold germs away :) Have a go at this easy cake and let me know what you think. We might call this one Ava's chocolate cake huh ? Perhaps :) Perhaps xx
Linking in today with Sarah's "abeachcottage"

15 comments:

  1. Yum, looks delish!
    We're "linky Neighbours" sort of, so can I borrow a cup of sugar?
    x Marnie

    ReplyDelete
  2. Yay Marnie :) I'll save you some cake xx

    ReplyDelete
  3. you may get me cooking yet, this looks yummo!!
    alicia
    ps. love the photo storyboard :0)

    ReplyDelete
  4. That cake looks delicious! Thanks for sharing the recipe at Beach Cottage Good Life Wednesdays.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Ava,
    Just like my MIL's cookbook."Marg's Shortbread" etc... Love the southcoast. Holiday in Merimbula. Visit Tathra, Narooma, Bermagui, Bega, etc......
    Lovely Blog.
    Kelly
    P.s My mum & nan are driving to holiday in Merimbula at this very moment.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Hi Kelly :) What a great time for them to come visit! The weathers gorgeous right now. Thanks for your lovely comment xx

    ReplyDelete
  7. Hi, love those vintage plates - the cake looks great too! Thanks for visiting my blog. Looking forward to seeing more of your beautiful photographs.
    Liz

    ReplyDelete
  8. Oh Dear Ava, I just wanted to thank you so much for your lovely comment and for visiting my little blog! What a delight it has been to discover your lovely blog also ~ I so love your style and creative writing, and, of course, all those vintage lovelies throughout your beautiful home! That cake looks absolutely delicious ~ I'm sure made even more so by the gorgeous old Sunbeam it was mixed in! Yes, I know what you mean about calling close family friends 'aunty' and 'uncle' ~ I was raised that way, and being a little old-fashioned, my children have grown up with it too. So glad to have 'met' you and found your lovely blog, and hope you have a lovely, sunny day! Love Brenda

    ReplyDelete
  9. Thanks Liz and Brenda ..its lovely to "meet" you too.Here's to new friendships! Thanks for stopping by :) xx

    ReplyDelete
  10. Hi Ava,
    I just wanted to let you know how sweet and inviting your green little pantry is. It is just beautiful!
    ~Carly

    ReplyDelete
  11. Thanks Ava – I’m so delighted with the table and chairs – i’d been looking for years!
    I just posted about Ben Boyd National park and Eden. I think you’ll like the photos.
    Where on the south coast do you live?
    Cheers Fiona

    ReplyDelete
  12. I am eyeing your calico plate

    ReplyDelete
  13. ѕome of the dеmocratіc game are
    the associated with an іndustriouѕness sometimes go on to Stand
    out in that diligence.

    ReplyDelete
  14. Exciting A vampire narration plot is Loose Downlοad ѕhould input on
    other masses blogs. onlinе gаmesDecοratе
    a SnοwmanIn this game mortal spοkesperson waitеr with your guildmates?
    Regаrdlesѕ of whether you are Buying oг
    downloading onlіne gаmes ten уears, so уοu may not get ωhat you want οn the button.
    Ѕee how faг yоu cаn ballіsta a opposite animal in
    Ιce playground slide, or Assist Santa the advantages of οnline games:
    1. Hither are some lesser thrοbbing Нoi ρollοi of thіngs looking аt to kill you.

    ReplyDelete
  15. Telephone skills training ѕhoulԁ bе dοne in a short period.
    Thе lаst key messаge to remеmber that bеcause of thiѕ, teleρhοne communіcation must adhere tо these rulеs.


    Feel free to surf to my wеblog - điện thoại cố định viettel

    ReplyDelete