Dessert

Popcorn and peanut butter chocolate cake

This elaborate-looking one-bowl cake takes little effort to pull off, but is definitely a crowd-pleaser.
16
20M
55M
1H 15M

Ingredients

Peanut butter frosting

Method

1.Preheat oven to 160°C (140°C fan-forced). Grease a deep 22cm square cake pan with butter; line base and sides with baking paper.
2.Combine sifted cocoa and boiling water in a large bowl until smooth. Add butter, sugar and extract; beat with an electric mixer until butter is smooth. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Add sifted flours and buttermilk, in two batches; beat on low speed until just combined. Spread mixture into pan.
3.Bake cake for 55 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Leave cake in pan for 5 minutes before turning, top-side up, onto a wire rack to cool.
4.To make the frosting, stir the ingredients in a medium bowl until smooth.
5.Place cake on a plate; spread frosting on top. Just before serving, arrange popcorn on frosting, then dust with sifted icing sugar.

Nutty caramel popcorn is available from supermarkets; there are a number of brands available, so use your favourite. If you’ve forgotten to soften the butter, grate the firm butter on the largest holes of a box grater.

Note

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