Traditional Welsh Recipes

Black Mountain Chocolate Loaf.

A more recent recipe by the Williams family of Llandeilo. Kindly sent in by Sandie Reed, who lives in the Scottish Borders but has relatives in Carmarthenshire.

 3 oz organic cocoa powder
 10fl oz boiling water
 4oz softened butter
 10 oz caster sugar
 3 eggs lightly beaten
 7oz plain flour
 Half a tsp bicarb
 Half a tsp baking powder gas 4

Mix the cocoa powder well with the boiling water and set aside to cool. Cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add egg a little at a time, beating well, Add the essence if used. Sift and mix the cocoa powder well with the boiling water and set aside to cool. Cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add egg a little at a time, beating well, Add the essence if used. Sift together the dry flour, bicarbonate of soda and baking powder and partly stir into the wet mixture before adding the cocoa mixture and stir thoroughly until mixed. Pour into prepared tin and bake 40 mins. Cover top loosely with foil and bake a further 20-25 min, checking with a skewer. Cool in tin 10 mins before turning out and cooling on rack. When cool dust top with the cocoa/icing sugar mix  if desired. Serve sliced thinly.