Here is a simple, moist chocolate cake recipe adapted for a halogen oven, with UK-style quantities and steps. All timing and temperature are guidelines; check your own oven the first time you make it.
Ingredients
For a 7–8 inch (18–20 cm) round tin:
- 115 g soft butter
- 175 g caster sugar
- 175 g self-raising flour
- 2 tablespoons cocoa powder
- 1 heaped teaspoon baking powder
- 2 large eggs
- 4 tablespoons milk (more if batter is very thick)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (optional)
Buttercream (optional):
- 75 g soft butter
- 150 g icing sugar
- 2 tablespoons cocoa powder
- 1–2 tablespoons milk, to loosen
Equipment and tin prep
- Use a metal cake tin that fits easily inside the halogen oven on the low or middle rack; 18–20 cm is ideal.
- Grease the tin and line the base with baking paper so the cake releases cleanly.
Mixing the cake
- Beat margarine/butter and caster sugar together until pale and fluffy. This traps air and helps the cake rise well.
- Beat in the eggs one at a time, adding a spoonful of flour if the mixture looks like it might curdle.
- Sift together self-raising flour, cocoa, and baking powder, then fold gently into the wet mixture.
- Stir in milk (and vanilla, if using) until the batter drops slowly but easily off a spoon; it should be soft but not runny.
- Scrape into the prepared tin and level the top. Leave a little space to allow the cake to rise.
Baking in a halogen oven
Halogen ovens run a little hot and the top element is close to the cake, so use a slightly lower temperature and keep an eye on browning.
- Preheat the halogen oven to about 160–170 °C on the low or middle rack for a few minutes.
- Place the filled tin on the rack; if your oven tends to brown the top quickly, lay a loose circle of foil over the tin (not touching the batter). This protects the surface while the centre cooks.
- Bake for about 20–30 minutes before first checking; smaller, shallower tins will be closer to 20 minutes, deeper cakes nearer 30.
- Check doneness by inserting a skewer in the centre; it should come out clean or with a few moist crumbs, and the top should spring back when lightly pressed.
- If the middle is still wet but the top is brown, cover loosely with foil and continue baking in 3–5 minute increments until done.
- Cool in the tin for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a rack and let it cool completely before icing.