Chocolate & Coke Cake - by Venus

Ingredients
250g self raising flour
300g golden caster sugar
3 heaped tbsp cocoa
generous pinch bicarbonate of soda
250g butter
250ml Coke
125ml milk
2 eggs, beaten
5ml vanilla extract

For the topping: Double quantities if you like a thick frosting
100g butter
2 tbsp Coke
2 tbsp cocoa
200g icing sugar
To Serve:
caramel chocolate bar (king size)
a splash of double cream
warm water
2 tbsp mini marshmallows (optional)


Method
1. Heat the oven to 180C.
2. Sift the flour, sugar, cocoa and bicarbonate of soda into a bowl. Melt the butter and cola drink gently in a pan then add to the dry ingredients, together with the milk, eggs and vanilla.
3. Mix gently but thoroughly and tip into a buttered, loose based cake tin (24cm/9½ in diameter). Bake for about 40 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean. Remove from the oven and leave for about 15 minutes while you make the topping. Put the butter, cola drink and cocoa into a pan and melt slowly. Bring the mixture to the boil and then pour onto the icing sugar. Beat until smooth and pour over the cake while still warm. Cool the cake in the tin.
4. Serve with the sauce, made by melting the chocolate bar gently in a pan with a splash of cream, you may want to add a little warm water to achieve a pouring consistency, stir in the marshmallows if using. The sauce is rich and sweet, as is the topping, you may want to serve with one or the other rather than both.