We are all about the birthday vibes at Cupcakes and Couscous HQ at the moment. If you read last week’s post you might remember that we celebrated my daughter’s 5th birthday, and this week my little blog… drum roll… turns four!

I still remember my very first recipe post. I must have read and re-read it at least one hundred times before tentatively pressing that intimidating publish button. That first step was a rather scary one but it started me on a path that (without sounding totally cheesy) I never dreamed possible. Yes, I positively cringe when I go through some of my old food photographs but looking back allows me to see how my posts have evolved over time. I am hugely grateful to my readers and everyone who takes the time to connect with me here and on my social media platforms – it means the world to me. Not to mention the incredibly talented local foodie community who continue to encourage and inspire me.

In honour of this milestone I simply had to put together a cake post, right? This is not your typical birthday cake but something between a cake and dessert. Dark, rich and chocolatey, this chocolate cake is delicious with some fresh raspberries and even more heavenly with a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream.

So cheers to another year, I am looking forward to the next one!