With summer upon us what better time is to have a picnic in the park with all your friends, hopefully over this series of posts I will bring you some easy and simple ideas to pack into your hamper that will be loved by all or to just enjoy in the comfort of your own home.

First up we have James Martins’ – Chocolate Cake Mix.
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As most people who know me will know I don’t cook, but I do like to bake and it’s been one thing I’ve really missed with not being able to stand for long, getting down and dirty baking in the kitchen, I hadn’t thought of trying a packet mix as to be honest in the past they haven’t been that great but I was intrigued to try this one after all would James Martin put his name to something not that grand?

The instructions tell you it will take 15 minutes to prepare I have to admit, I think it was slightly quicker.
In the packet your will find:
Paper Tray for cooking.
Cake Mix
Topping Mix and Chocolate curls.

Other than the above you will need:
1 x medium egg
100ml of coca cola (optional)
25g of butter
1-2 table spoons of milk.

Pop the cake mix, egg and cola if wanted (we went for it as I do like a nice moist cake) into a bowl and mix. And there’s your cake. Honestly it really is that simple!

Next you pop into the oven gas mark 2 (150) for 45 – 50 minutes. We found it took just a little longer than the time stated we found it was perfect at about the hour mark but of course it will always differ from oven to oven it smelt amazing while cooking I popped off and did a few bits and came down into this wonderful cake smelling kitchen! Fantabulous!

Now came the hard bit waiting for it to cool – I always want to ice a cake straight away I’m impatient I admit it, I’m more impatient to ice one than to eat one (is that strange). Anyway a long hour or so later it was cool and I could set to work the topping comes in two parts.

Grab the topping mix bag and carefully add in the 25g of butter (softened) and the milk (I went for one table spoon to start with and later added in a second) It went very quickly into a lovely paste, so again was really simple to do.

Pop on top of the cake add the chocolate curls and done. Doesn’t it look yummy.

We left it overnight to set and so the next day the taste test began.

To be honest with you this has to be one of the nicest cakes I have had (and definitely the best packet mix), you couldn’t taste the cola which was my main worry, but it really made a lovely moist cake that was oh so chocolaty. The icing although had not set hard was lovely – sticky and messy yet melted in your mouth.

All 4 us of really enjoyed the cake, and will definitely be looking out for it in shops nearby. I have to admit I also really enjoyed the feeling of having contributed something to the house rather than just taking from everyone. The simplicity of making just adds a whole new level of enjoyment for me.

James Martin mixes are available from Tesco and Asda with prices starting at just £1.

*PR Sample