Who said chocolate cake is just for girls?

Men deserve rich, fudgy, soul-soothing slices of chocolate cake just as much—and International Men’s Day is the perfect reminder that self-care doesn’t have a gender.

Baking a chocolate cake isn’t simply about satisfying a craving; it’s therapy you can eat. Whisking, folding, melting chocolate… it’s a calm, mindful ritual that can melt away stress, mend a bruised heart, and turn a tough day around. When life gets heavy, when worry creeps in, or when you simply need comfort on a plate, chocolate cake is there—no judgement, just joy.

So gentlemen, the next time the chocolate craving hits, don’t wait for someone else to bake it. Tie on the apron, switch on the oven, and bake the cake you deserve!

For International Men’s Day 2017, I baked this chocolate cake to be sold by the slice to raise funds for Prostate Cancer Charities. It was the cake stall’s best seller of the day! It is definitely the cake to eat when you need uplifting and a cry with loved ones. A hug in cake form.

Soul Soothing Chocolate Cake

Ingredients:

For the cake:

225g Plain Flour

350g Caster Sugar

85g Cocoa Powder

1&1/2 tspn Baking Powder

1&1/2 tspn Bicarbonate of Soda

2 Large Eggs

250ml Milk

125ml Vegetable Oil

2 tspn Vanilla Extract/Paste

250ml Boiling Water

For the Chocolate Ganache:

200g good quality plain chocolate

200ml double cream chocolate shavings

Method:

1st: Preheat the oven to 180ºC. Grease and line two sandwich tins.

2nd: For the cake – prepare all the liquid ingredients, except the boiling water, in a measuring jug and mix.

3rd: Prepare all the dry ingredients in a mixing bowl – sieve the cocoa as otherwise it will be lumpy.

4th: Mix the ingredients together and use the boiling water to slacken the mixture.  Mix until smooth and well combined.

5th: Divide the mixture between the 2 sandwich tins and bake for 25-35mins or until the top is firm to the touch and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.

6th: Remove the cakes from the oven and allow to cool completely before icing.

7th: Prepare the chocolate ganache by heating double cream in a saucepan and adding small pieces of the chocolate.  Turn off the heat and allow the residual heat in the pan to melt the chocolate.  Stir until smooth and glossy – set aside to use later.

8th: To assemble the cake, release the cakes from their tins and place one of the sponge cakes onto a serving plate.  Spread some of the chocolate icing over this.  Then carefully top with the other cake.

9th: Pour the ganache over and cover all over smoothing round the sides with a palette knife.  Note: if the cake or ganache are still slightly warm it will not adhere to the side of the cake.  

Optional: Decorate with chocolate shavings/chocolate buttons/etc.

Thank you Marlene for sharing this memory 💙🩵