A rich, melt-in-the-mouth chocolate cake studded with candles is the perfect choice for any birthday. Try this one swirled with a luscious chocolate buttercream.

Ingredients: (Serves 8)

For the cake:

• 100 g/3½ oz dark chocolate
• 110 g/4 oz plus 1 tablespoon, butter, at room temperature
• 140 g/5 oz caster sugar
• 2 eggs, separated
• 140 g/5 oz self-raising flour
• 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
• 60 ml/2 fl oz milk

For the icing:

• 80 g/3 oz butter, at room temperature
• 200 g/7 oz icing sugar, sifted
• 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1½ tablespoon milk
• Birthday candles, to decorate

Method:

Preheat the oven to 180ºC/350ºF/Gas mark 4. Grease a 20-cm/8-inch round springform tin and line the bottom with greaseproof paper.

Melt the dark chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of barely simmering water, then set aside to cool for about 5 minutes. Beat together the butter and sugar, then beat in the egg yolks. Fold in the melted chocolate, then sift the flour and cocoa powder over the bowl. Stir in. Gradually stir in the milk to loosen the mixture.

In a clean bowl, whisk the egg whites until stiff, then fold them into the chocolate mixture, one-third at a time. Spoon the batter into the prepared cake tin and bake for about 45 minutes, or until a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove from the oven and turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

To make the icing, beat the butter until soft and creamy, then sift the icing sugar and cocoa powder over it. Add the milk. Beat until smooth and creamy. Swirl the icing over the top of the cake. Decorate with birthday candles.