Fundraiser chocolate cake

PREP + COOK TIME 1 HOUR 15 MINS

2 cups (500ml) water 3 cups (660g) caster sugar 250g butter, chopped ¹/³ cup (35g) cocoa powder 1 teaspoon baking soda 3 cups (450g) self-raising flour 4 eggs 2 tablespoons vegetable oil 2 teaspooons vanilla extract

FUDGE FROSTING

140g butter, chopped ½ cup (125ml) water ¾ cup (165g) caster sugar 2 ¼ cups (360g) icing sugar ½ cup (50g) cocoa powder 1

Preheat oven to 170°C/150°C fan. Grease a deep 26.5cm x 33cm (14-cup) baking dish. Line base and sides with baking paper.

2

Combine water, sugar, butter, sifted cocoa powder and baking soda in a medium saucepan. Stir over heat, without boiling, until sugar dissolves. Bring to the boil. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, for 5 minutes. Transfer mixture to a large bowl of an electric mixer. Cool to room temperature.

3

Add flour, eggs, oil and vanilla to bowl, beating with an electric mixer until mixture is smooth and paler in colour. 4

Pour mixture into prepared baking dish. Bake for 4550 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Stand cake in pan for 20 minutes before turning, top-side up, onto a wire rack to cool.

5

To make fudge frosting, combine butter, water and sugar in a small saucepan. Stir over low heat, without boiling, until sugar dissolves.

Sift icing sugar and cocoa into a medium bowl, then gradually stir in the hot butter mixture. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes or until frosting thickens. Beat with a wooden spoon until thick and spreadable. Spread cold cake with fudge frosting. Iced and uniced cake is suitable to freeze.