Chocolate Mayonnaise Cake

Method:

1. Pre heat your oven to 180º C, 350º F, Gas Mark 4. Grease and line an 18cm cake tin.

2. Sift the self-raising flour into a large mixing bowl and add the caster sugar and baking powder. Give the ingredients a quick stir together.

3. Add the mayonnaise. Beat into the flour mix, It is very important to beat the mayonnaise thoroughly into the dry ingredients. Keep beating until it looks like large bread crumbs. Put on one side while you make the chocolate mixture.

4. Dissolve the cocoa in the boiling water. Stir this gently until it's smooth and there are no lumps of cocoa left.

5. Add the chocolate mix to the flour mixture. Give it a quick stir and then add the vanilla essence.

6. Stir everything thoroughly until all the ingredients are blended but this time don't beat the mixture because that will spoil it. Just keep stirring it gently until all the lumps are gone.

7. Pour the cake mixture into the tin and place the cake tin into the middle of the oven for about an hour.

8. Test the cake is cooked by inserting a skewer. If it comes out clean, then it's cooked! Leave the cake to cool in the tin before you turn it out, otherwise it will crumble when you take it out.

Topping:

1. Dissolve two level teaspoons of coffee and two tablespoons of cocoa in two tablespoons of hot water.

2. Add the soft margarine and the icing sugar.

3. Beat the mixture thoroughly ensuring that no lumps are left and then spread the icing over the cake. This amount is enough to cover the top of the cake and all round the sides.

Decorate the cake with confectionary of your choice.