Ingredients for the cake 

• 250ml of milk.
• 100g of softened butter.
• 2 large eggs.
• 1 tablespoon of lemon juice (optional).
• 250g of caster sugar.
• 1 teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda.
• 50g cocoa powder.
• 225g of plain flower.

Ingredients for the Icing

• 250g of icing sugar.
• 4-6 tablespoons of cocoa powder.
• 125g butter.
• 25-40ml of milk.

Tools Needed

• Two Mixing bowls.
• A wire rack.
• Greaseproof paper.
• A greased 22cm deep cake tin.
• A pencil.
• A measuring jug.
• A dessert spoon.
• Scissors.
• Two wooden spoons.
• Two sieves.
• A kinfe.

Method

1. Set the oven to 180 degrees C gas mark 4. Draw round the cake tin on greasproof paper. Cut out the circle and put it in the tin.
2. Stir the lemon juiceinto the milk (optional). Put the butter and half the sugar into the mixing bowl and beat it until pale and fluffy.
3. Beat the eggs into the mixture one at a time. Stir in the rest of the sugar. Sift the flour, bicarbonate of soda and the cocoa powder together.
4. Beat in half the milk and fold in half the flour, cocoa powder and bicarbonate of soda. Add the rest of the milk and then the rest of the flour, cocoa powder and bicarbonate of soda. Mix until smooth.
5. Pour the mixture into the cake tin and bake it for one hour. Then tip the cake out of the tin and leave it on a wire ack to cool.

Method for the Icing

1. Put the butter ina  bowl and cut it into small pieces. Beat it hard with a wooden spoon until it is soft and creamy.
2. Sift the icing sugar and cocoa powder into the bowl, a little at a time, mixing them in with the butter. Then stir in the milk.
3. When the cake cools spread the icing all over, or cut the cake sideways and put icing in the middle. More icing may be needed depending on how you like it.