Chocolate Cake (Rachel Allen)

I was looking for a simple basic chocolate cake recipe for Junior's 7th birthday celebration at home (just the family).  I chose Rachel Allen's Chocolate Cake recipe (from her book "bake") as it looked like a classic chocolate sponge with chocolate buttercream icing.  It was relatively easy to make.

In terms of flavour, it was OK. Jr liked it and said it was sugary (mainly due to the icing, which was more sugar than chocolate).  I thought the chocolate flavour was not as strong as I would've like it to be, and the icing was much too sweet (which I think for some people is really the point of icing).

I have mentioned before that I am wondering if my oven is too hot, thereby drying out my cakes. I did bake this a little shorter than the recommended time.  But the cake was also a teeny weeny little bit drier than I prefer, though I must say I am comparing it with the really moist chocolate cakes I've made before.  Perhaps it was because it was refrigerated before tasting time.  The cake certainly did not look overcooked (not cracks on the surface or mountain effect).

Overall, it was pleasant tasting, but I think I have other much nicer chocolate cake recipes that I'd reach for before this version.   I like my chocolate cakes really moist and chocolatey, almost fudgy.  But this is really just a simple chocolate sponge, which is a different cake altogether.  So I guess I was expecting too much.  Sorry Rachel Allen!