NADINE'S VEGAN CHOCOLATE CAKE

150ml (16 fl oz) espresso - or strong coffee
75ml (3 fl oz) water
75g (3 oz) margarine
75g (3 oz) sugar
1 tbsp golden syrup
200g (7 oz) plain flour
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
25g (1 oz) cocoa powder
3 tbsp soya milk
1/2 tsp vanilla essence

275g (9 oz) icing sugar
75g (3 oz) plain chocolate - can be quite sweet
25g (1 oz margarine)

250g (8 oz) raspberries
2 tbsp sugar

Set the oven to 180° C (350° F / Gas Mark 4). Grease an 8" (20cm) round cake tin, line if you can be bothered. Put the sugar, syrup, margarine, coffee and water in a pan, and gently melt, simmering for five minutes. Add the dry ingredients and mix well. Stir in the soya milk and vanilla essence. Pour into the tin and bake for 25 minutes.

Put the chocolate, margarine and 3 tbsp of water into a dish, and stir over hot water to melt. Sift in the icing sugar. Either slice the cake in half or just serve as is; the raspberries can go on top or in the centre. Use au naturelle or heat very gently with the sugar first.