This! is my all-time favourite-to-make chocolate cake - it has been well-received at the last eight years of high-and-holy family occasions. It’s BIG. Have two glasses for separating eggs into, your “impeccably clean” stainless steel egg-beating bowl ready, plus another two big mixing bowls. Better to cook in two baking tins than in one big meat dish. Enjoy!

Soonafai Chocolate Cake

2 cups Chelsea caster sugar
3 cups self-raising flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
½ cup cocoa

3 eggs, separated

2 cups milk
2 tablespoons malt vinegar
2 tablespoons Chelsea golden syrup
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 ½ cups cooking oil
1 egg  

Combine all dry ingredients.

In a large bowl, beat the 3 egg whites until stiff.

In a separate bowl, combine milk and vinegar, then add the rest of the wet ingredients, including the whole egg and three egg yolks, and beat.

Mix wet and dry ingredients together, then fold in the beaten egg whites.

Pour into two well-greased or baking-paper-lined cake tines about 20-23 cm.

Bake for 25-30 minutes at 180ºC. Cool on a wire rack.
(It freezes well.)

Whipped cream and icing of your choice for finishing cake.

To serve, pile whipped cream on one cake, place the other cake on top and ice - try chocolate frosting.

- in Jo Seagar-Chelsea book, as “Celebration Chocolate Cake”