Chocolate peanut butter Milo cake

I think we all have a guilty food pleasure; whether it's putting odd things on toast or eating breakfast foods for dinner. Mine is sitting with a tin on my lap shovelling spoonfuls of Milo straight from the can into my mouth. Odd but oh so gooood. 

Milo is just heaven for me. That malty, milky flavour gets me every time. So as one does, I've created an ode to this drink-that-I-eat, and stuck it in a chocolate cake. Only The Best Chocolate Cake (recipe courtesy of the fabulous Alida Ryder). 

Did I mention it has peanut butter in it too? And espresso? It's like when the cake gods were handing out decadence, this cake stood in line twice. And then again. 

I must say that I did contemplate topping this cake with those crunchy malty whispers things, but then wondered if the poor cake would explode from chocolate sexiness... wait, who am I kidding? That would've been friggin' amazing! Now, go and make this cake so you can do what I was too weak to do!

Chocolate milo peanut butter cake

Based on Alida Ryder's recipe (simplydelicious.co.za)
Serves 10-12 (or just one Kate)

2 cups white sugar

450ml cake flour

200ml cocoa

1 tbsp baking powder

1 tbsp bicarbonate of soda

1 tsp salt

2 large eggs

1 cup buttermilk

1 tbsp vanilla extract

1 cup hot espresso

¼ cup Milo powder

¼ cup smooth peanut butter

115g butter, melted

ICING

½ cup smooth peanut butter

115g butter, softened

2 ½ cups icing sugar

100ml cocoa powder

100ml Milo powder, plus extra for sprinkling

1 tsp vanilla extract

150ml cream

Preheat the oven to 180 degrees celsius. Prepare 2 springform tins (24cm each). Mix all the dry ingredients together. Whisk the eggs, buttermilk and vanilla and add to dry ingredients. Combine coffee, Milo, peanut butter and butter and add to the mixture. Mix well. Divide between the cake tins and bake for 30-40 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean. Allow to cool for 10 minutes before inverting and allow to cool completely.

For the icing, cream the peanut butter and butter until light and fluffy. Add the rest of the ingredients and beat well. Ice the cake and decorate with Milo powder and chocolate curls, if desired.