•  170g butter, softened
•  1½ cup (265g) brown sugar
•  2 eggs
•  1½ teaspoon bicarbonate of (baking) soda
•  1½ cup (375ml) milk
•  2¼ cups (335g) plain (all-purpose) flour, sifted
•  3 teaspoons baking powder, sifted
•  ½ cup (50g) cocoa, sifted

chocolate butter cream

•  250g butter, softened
•  2 cups (320g) icing sugar mixture, sifted
•  ½ cup (50g) cocoa, sifted
•  ¼ cup (60ml) milk

  Preheat oven to 160ºC (320ºF). Beat the butter and sugar with an electric mixer until pale and creamy. Gradually add the eggs and beat well. Dissolve the bicarbonate of soda in the milk and add to the butter mixture with the flour, baking powder and cocoa. Beat until combined. Spoon into a lightly greased 22cm-square cake tin lined with baking paper. Bake for 1 hour or until cooked when tested with a skewer. Cool on a wire rack. For the buttercream, beat the butter until pale and creamy. Add the icing sugar, cocoa and milk and beat until fluffy. Spread over the cake. Serves 8.