Chocolate and peanut butter fudge cake

I absolutely adore chocolate and simply cannot get enough, even though my teeth and thighs will disagree. Chocolate makes me happy, calm, relaxed, excited and it keeps me sane, it is safe to say I am obsessed with it.  I am writing this up two weeks into giving up chocolate for Lent and it is hell, so I am drooling at just the thought of making this cake again. Generally I will eat any type of chocolate but one favourite is fudge cake (served hot with ice-cream is heaven!) and another is nutty chocolate, which brought me to making this lovely, nutty loaf cake.

Ingredients

For the cake

175g self raising flour

175g caster sugar

125g butter, softened

½ tsp baking powder

2 large eggs

3 tbs milk

2 heaped tbs cocoa powder

For the peanut butter frosting

50g unsalted butter

3 tbs peanut butter, I use crunchy but use smooth if you prefer

150g icing sugar

200g dark chocolate

2tbs milk

Method

1. Butter and line your loaf tin with grease proof paper and pre-heat oven to 180 degrees/gas mark 4
2. First of all make your sponge by creaming the sugar and butter until pale and smooth. Add in the eggs one at a time and stir then fold in your flour, cocoa powder and baking powder. Add in the milk and stir.
3. Poor the cake mixture into the lined tin and bake for 40 minutes until you can stick in a knife and it comes out clean. Leave to cool whilst you make your frosting
4. Whisk the butter and icing sugar with an electric whisk until soft and creamy, add in the peanut butter and whisk until combined.
5. Melt the chocolate in a bowl over a pan of boiling water. Once melted add milk and combine with butter and sugar mixture. If the mixture seems too thick then add a little more milk.
6. Spread the frosting over the top and the sides of the cake and put in fridge for half an hour to harden slightly, as it may be a little too soft .
7. Get yourself a nice cuppa, a good book and a big slice of cake then relax.

Here are a couple of my favourite chocolate ports of call;

The chocolate cellar, a great company that sells great chocolate goodies, including some excellent truffles, and holds various chocolate workshops http://www.thechocolatecellar.co.uk/

The chocolate library, a fabulous new find that combines two of my great loves; chocolate and books. Great for gifts or little treats for yourself. http://chocolatelibrary.co.uk/