My café cacao celebration
I chose flavour over fuss for my birthday
There’s something beautifully reflective about baking your own birthday cake. I always make mine a few days early, not just for me, but to share slices with the people I love most. This year’s version is a gentle reminder that perfection isn’t the goal. It might lean a little, the frosting may smudge, but every bite is rich, honest, and full of intention. Simple ingredients, nothing fancy, just the kind of cake that makes you close your eyes after the first mouthful. Baked for celebrating, not for show.
MY CHOCOLATE BIRTHDAY CAKE
YIELD: 8-10 SERVINGS
For the sponge:
220 g cake flour
400 g sugar
75 g unsweetened cocoa powder
10 ml bicarbonate of soda
5 ml baking powder
5 ml salt
2 large eggs, at room temperature
240 ml milk
120 ml vegetable oil
10 ml vanilla extract
240 ml hot coffee
For the icing:
230 g butter, softened
440 g icing sugar, sifted
50 g unsweetened cocoa powder
2.5 ml salt
10 ml vanilla extract
30 ml milk
For the sponge:
Preheat the oven to 175°C.
Grease and line two 23 cm round cake pans.
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, bicarbonate of soda, baking powder, and salt.
Add the eggs, milk, oil, and vanilla to the same bowl. Mix until just combined.
Carefully stir in the hot coffee.
Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans.
Bake for 30–35 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.
Cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then turn out onto wire racks to cool completely.
For the icing:
Beat the butter until creamy.
Add the cocoa powder, icing sugar, salt, and vanilla. Beat, adding the milk 5 ml at a time, until the icing is fluffy and spreadable.
Place one cake layer on a serving plate and spread with icing.
Top with the second layer and frost the top and sides.