The first Bookclub meeting of the year is always a milestone, though the book in question – We Don’t Talk About Carol – is something I’d actually rather not talk about. It was quite distressing, and honestly, I’d prefer to leave it behind for now.

Instead, let’s talk about cake…i.e my second cake of the year.

Usually, for our meetings, I’m at my friend’s house, my mother’s, or home alone on my laptop. This time, I was “hosting” for the first time. In this case, “hosting” meant my friend came over to my house so we could join the Zoom meeting together.

It was a pleasant and welcome change. Before the meeting started, we sat down to an early dinner of homemade coconut rice and jerk chicken that my friend brought over. It was the perfect setup for what turned out to be a lovely evening.

As we sipped our tea and joined the digital discussion, we moved on to the main event Nigella Lawson’s Dense Chocolate Loaf. My friend had suggested I try this specific recipe, and it’s clear why it came so highly recommended.

The verdict – dark, rich, and delicious. My husband, the resident chocolate lover, also thought it was wonderful.

It’s the second cake of the year, but it certainly won’t be the last. It will definitely be making another appearance in my kitchen soon. Watch this space!

Nigella’s Dense Chocolate Loaf Cake
From ‘How to Be a Domestic Goddess’

Ingredients
225g Soft unsalted butter

375g Dark brown sugar

2 Large eggs (beaten)

1 tsp Vanilla extract

100g Dark chocolate (melted and slightly cooled)

200g All-purpose flour

1 tsp Bicarbonate of soda

250ml Boiling water

Instructions
Prep: Preheat oven to 190°C (375°F). Grease and line a standard loaf tin (9×5 inch).

Note: Put a baking tray on the rack below; this batter is thin and sometimes drips!

Cream: Beat the butter and dark brown sugar together until combined (don’t worry about making it light and fluffy; you want density here).

Mix: Add the beaten eggs and vanilla. Fold in the melted chocolate.

Combine: Mix the bicarb into the flour. Add a spoonful of flour to the chocolate mix, then a splash of the boiling water, alternating until everything is in. The batter will be very liquid.

Bake: Pour into the tin. Bake for 30 minutes, then turn the oven down to 170°C (325°F) and bake for another 15 minutes.

The “Gooey” Test: The cake is done when it’s firm on top but a skewer still comes out with some oily, fudge-like crumbs on it. It should not be liquid, but it won’t be “clean.”

Cool: Let it cool completely in the tin. It will sink—this is normal and makes the “fudge” center even better.