Chocolate Cake

There are few pleasures more welcoming than a freshly baked chocolate cake waiting to be sliced and devoured. The beauty of this, Nigella's Old-Fashioned Chocolate Cake is that it is so ridiculously quick and simple to make. Everything goes in the one processor at the same time and then it's straight into the oven. Absolute perfection and undoubtedly the ideal addition to a summer picnic in the park.

for the cake:
1 1/2 cups plain flour
1 cup castor sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/3 cup best quality cocoa
175g softened butter
2 large eggs
1 tbs vanilla extract
2/3 cup sour cream

for the frosting:
6 ounces semi-sweet chocolate
100g softened butter
2 cups icing sugar
1/2 cup sour cream
1 tsp vanilla extract
sugar flowers to decorate

Begin with all ingredients at room temperature and preheat the oven to 180 C.

Add all cake ingredients into a food processor and blitz for 1 minute, scrape down the sides and blitz for another 15 seconds. Poor into 2 greased and floured cake tins and bake for 25-30 minutes, or if baking in one tin only, then 45-50 minutes.

Allow to cool slightly on a wire rack then remove the cakes from their tins and allow to cool completely.

To make the frosting, put all the frosting ingredients into the food processor and blitz for 1 minute, scrape down the sides and blitz for a further 15 seconds. Spread 1/3 of the mixture on the bottom cake, place the other cake on top and push down to 'sandwich' them together.

Spread another 1/3 of the frosting on the top of the cake and then the remaining 1/3 around the sides. Adorn with sugar flowers or whatever you have that fits the mood.

Serve with creme fraiche or vanilla ice cream.