Mary Berry's chocolate cake recipe is perfect for any occasion and bakes in 30 minutes

Make a delicious cake for any celebration using Mary Berry's recipe (Image: Getty)

While January is known as the time for a health overhaul, there are birthdays, anniversaries, and all types of celebrations in the wintry month.

If you happen to be celebrating an occasion this January, Mary Berry has a gorgeous chocolate cake recipe for you to try – that is nearly impossible to get wrong.

Serving up to eight people, and only taking less than half an hour to prepare, it's an all-round crowd pleaser that will taste delicious with every bite.

Only taking up to 30 minutes to bake, the treat can be ready to eat in no time – which just adds to its appeal for amateur bakers.

Here's how to recreate Mary Berry's celebration chocolate cake that has wonderful white chocolate icing sandwiched in the centre.

An electric whisk makes mixing cake ingredients together much easier (Image: Getty)

Mary Berry's chocolate cake recipe

Ingredients

190g self-raising flour

150g caster sugar

Two level tbsp cocoa powder

One level tsp bicarbonate of soda

One level tsp baking powder

Two tbsp golden syrup

Two eggs

150ml sunflower oil

150ml milk

For the icing

200g white chocolate

150ml double cream

125g tub full-fat cream cheese

The cake only needs half an hour to bake (Image: Getty)

Method

Heat the oven to 180C (160C fan/gas four). Grease and line, with greased greaseproof paper, the bases of two 20cm loose-bottomed sandwich tins.

Sift the dry ingredients into a large bowl and make a well in the centre. Add the syrup, eggs, oil and milk, whisk together and pour into the tins. Bake in the oven for 25 to 30 minutes. Turn out on a wire rack, remove the paper and leave to cool.

For the icing

Break the white chocolate into a bowl. Heat the double cream in a pan, until very hot but not boiling, and pour the hot cream over the white chocolate to melt it. Stir until melted and set aside to cool.

Spoon the cream cheese into a bowl then gradually add the white chocolate mixture and stir until combined. Set aside to cool. Once thick, spread half of the icing on one cake, sit the other cake on top and spread the remaining icing on top.