Rolo cake

I’m not too sure how internationally known Rolos are but any soft caramel sweet covered in chocolate will work for this cake. I was interested to read that our friends across the pond pronounce them as “Roll-oh” rather than the British way of “Roh-Loh”. Maybe I’m easily interested.....

The cake mix requires 100g of Rolos which is fantastic news as a tube of Rolos is actually 52g. If you need me to explain why this is good, hang your head in shame! Just so my eatership were “Rolo’d up” enough I used an extra tube of Rolos to decorate the top...along with my chocolate hedgehogs I bought in Salzburg. I fully accept that most people don’t come back from Salzburg with chocolate hedgehogs but, in my defence, I did buy them shortly after exiting the liqueur shop (where I sampled some rather strong stuff!)

It’s best to cut the Rolos in half for this cake so they melt and you get little rich, squidgy pockets in the cake. As we’re approaching Christmas (there! I used the C word and it’s only October!!!) the supermarkets are starting to stock tubes of mini Rolos; these are exactly the same but, as the name suggests, tiny versions – these can be used whole.

In truth, I don’t think you’d know the cake had Rolos in it; the cake tastes like chocolate truffles but lighter and spongier....which means you can eat more of it! The addition of the Rolos makes the cake incredibly moist.

When I’d put buttercream around the edge of the cake I rolled it in a tub of chocolate caramel curls I had (can’t remember where I got them – sorry) but chocolate vermicelli, crushed flake or even just some Rolos applied to the edge would be lovely.

This could be a “just me then” moment but don’t you think this little hedgepig looks like he’s been tucking into the cake?

Serving suggestion for those who feel that a truffley chocolate cake with chocolates on top needs something extra:

Ingredients:
For the cake:
200g unsalted butter, at room temperature
200g caster sugar
4 eggs
150g self raising flour
50g cocoa powder
100g Rolos, chopped if using normal sized ones

For the buttercream:
150g icing sugar
100g unsalted butter, at room temperature
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons cocoa powder

To decorate: additional tube of Rolos, and your choice – crushed Flake, chocolate vermicelli, chocolate caramel curls – whatever takes your fancy!

To serve: soft whipped cream (this is quite gluttonous – I think normal people would probably have the cake as it is)

Method

- Preheat the oven to 180°C/fan oven 160°C/350°F/Gas mark 4.

- Line a 20cm springform round tin with baking paper.

- Cream together the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy.

- Add the eggs a little at a time and add some of the flour if the mixture starts to curdle.

- Gently stir in the flour and cocoa.

- Stir in the rolos.

- Spoon into the prepared cake tin and bake for approximately 30-35 minutes or until a skewer comes out cleanly. Mine took a little longer at 40 minutes. The cake will settle on cooling but this is because it’s so rich and squidgy.

- Leave to cool in the tin, on a wire rack.

- When cool make the buttercream: cream together the icing sugar and butter until smooth.

- Beat in the vanilla extract and cocoa powder.

- If the mix is a but solid, add a dash of milk to soften and slacken.

- Spread over the cake and decorate as required – I used chocolate caramel curls and Rolos.

- Serve as a dessert or afternoon tea treat with cream (if you’re greedy like me)

- Bask in the glory of the wonderful thing you have made.

- Eat.