Vanilla Iced Cocoa Slices

As far as I'm concerned you can keep you cupcakes, for me you can't beat a good slice. Easy to make, adaptable and a perfect little morsel they are my favourite thing to make at the moment (as frequent flyers have probably noticed). This chocolatey version was inspired by the coffee cakes I made last week. Instead of brewing some strong coffee I've instead used cocoa and when cool I've topped them with a vanilla butter icing. Moist, moreish and marvelous!

Prep time: 20 Minutes
Baking time: 30 Minutes
25g + 3tsp Cocoa Powder
50ml Boiling Water
150g Unsalted Butter (Softened)
150g Light Muscovado Sugar
2 Medium Eggs
1/2tsp Baking powder
150g Plain Flour
50g Chocolate Chips (I used both white and dark)

For the icing
75g Unsalted Butter (Softened)
75g Icing Sugar
The seeds from 1 Vanilla Pod

First things first, place 3tsp of cocoa powder in a little dish and pour over the boiling water. Mix it around until dissolved and leave to one side.

When the cocoa is cool, preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4 and grease a 30cm loaf tin, lining the base with baking paper. Cream together the butter and sugar, then beat in the eggs one at a time. Sift in the baking powder with the flour and 25g of cocoa powder, pour in the cocoa liquid and mix it all together until smooth. Fold through the chocolate chips and spoon evenly into your prepared tin. Bake in the centre of the oven for around 30 minutes, until a metal skewer can be cleanly removed when inserted into the middle of the sponge, then remove and leave to one side to cool for about 15 minutes. Carefully remove from the tin (which you should know be able to safely handle) and leave on a wire rack until completely cool.

To make the icing sift the icing sugar into the butter. Split a vanilla pod, scrape in the seeds and beat until smooth and creamy. Spread on top of the sponge and slice evenly. See, I told you they were easy!