This is another recipe adapted from my vintage Christmas stocking present which I made back in January – yes I do have a few unposted recipes that have been hanging around in my drafts folder for far too long. I know Bonfire Night has now passed, but this seems a very suitable cake for this time of year, bonfire or no bonfire.

As soon as I saw the recipe for “Unusual Cake” I was dying to make it. The unusual ingredient was treacle. As soon as treacle is mentioned, nostalgic childhood tastes and images of my mother’s treacle pudding and bonfire treacle toffee are conjured up. So when I was asked to make a birthday cake. I knew immediately what that cake was going to be. I changed the quantities, used sour milk, made it into a layer cake and made up my own treacle icing to fill and top the cake with.
This is how I made:
Chocolate Treacle Cake
- Creamed 200g unsalted butter with 200g dark brown sugar until pale and fluffy. Beat in 5 tbsp treacle.
- Beat in 4 medium eggs one by one, adding some of the flour as I went to prevent curdling.
- Sifted in 250g flour (half wholemeal, half white), 50g cocoa powder, 1½ tsp baking powder and ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda.
- Stirred this in alternately with 8 tbsp sour milk.
- Spooned into two 20cm cake moulds and baked at 180° for 28 minutes when the cakes were well risen and firm to the touch.
- Turned out onto wire racks to cool.
- Melted 100g unsalted butter in a pan over gently heat.
- Added 1 tbsp treacle and 150g 72% dark chocolate.
- Stirred until smooth then removed from the heat.
- Added 6 tbsp double cream and ½ tsp vanilla extract and stirred again.
- Left in my cold kitchen for about ½ hr to firm up.
- Sandwiched the cakes with half the mixture and spread the remainder over the top.
I didn’t get to try the cake, but I did get to sample a little of the filling and it was very good indeed. I think the whole thing is probably a bit of a corker and I really must make it again some time – for us! CT informed me, when it was too late, that I’d got the Happy Birhday candles back to front and the Happy should be at the back – what do you think?
I’m cheekily entering this into AlphaBakes as H for Happy Birthday Cake. I’m not sure it will be allowed, but nothing ventured nothing gained! Alpha Bakes is hosted alternately over at The More Than Occasional Baker and Caroline Makes.
This also goes off to Bake of the Week over at Casa Costello.
I agree with another reader, treacle is the true taste of childhood – I used to eat it off the spoon! Eew – surprising I’ve got any teeth left. Thanks for joining in with #Bakeoftheweek again x
Oh My gosh, Would I just like a bite of this with my tea. Stumbled.
How delicious does this sound! 🙂
Another delicious bake from you, looks lush 🙂 x
Sounds delicious. Treacle was definitely one of the flavours of my childhood. In fact, so much so that I couldn’t look at a tin of treacle once I’d grown up a bit. I’ve changed my mind now, of course – I love it.
I love treacle too, this sounds like a winner.
I like the way you have presented the candles, but fear CT may be right. The cake sounds delicious and you must make it again for yourself.
Treacle and chocolate? YES please! Looks and sounds delightful!
The cake looks amazing!! would love to try it out soon on some birthday!!!
Choclette, yes, technically, “Happy” goes in the back; but I think the way you did it was just fine! 🙂 Is it golden treacle or black treacle?
ooh that looks good – I know you will be amazed but I sometimes get told not to bake everything with chocolate but with treacle I reckon this would be very welcome in our house
Gorgeous! I could eat a great big piece of this for sure!
This cake looks scrumptious. I’ve never heard the term “treacle” before. I learned something today.
What a delicious looking cake!
What a fantastic looking cake. It sounds rich and dark and delicious! I think the Happy Birthday letters are the right way round!!!! They would definitely be back to front with Happy at the back……
What a beautiful cake! It looks so rich and yummy!!
Oh I’m glad I’m not the only one with a backlog of recipes from months and months ago – I just never seem to find enough time these days! This cake looks LUSH beyond belief, I’d be extremely happy with this cheeky number for my b’day!
I LOVE treacle but find it difficult to bake with (think… messy!) this looks lovely!
The cake looks amazing, but I’m not a fan of treacle. My sister, on the other hand…
#UKBloggers
Ah well Emma, I guess we can’t all like everything.