Pre heat oven to 250 C when ready to mix ingredients. Sift together 3 times the flour, cocoa and baking soda and keep aside. Cream together butter and powdered sugar to a smooth paste.

Pour essence into eggs and beat together. Add this gradually to the buttered cream. To this mixture, gradually add ,alternately the sifted flour and curd, mixing well each time with a wooden spoon. Pour this batter into a greased cake pan (half full).

Pop into hot oven and when the cake has risen, reduce temperature by 50 C and wait till cake is done. (test by poking with a knitting needle or wooden stick. If the needle comes clean switch off and remove form oven. Cut only when cake is completely cool and serve with vanilla ice cream for a festive occasion as a rich dessert.

Variations :

1. Add 2 mashed bananas
2. Add 1/2 cup chopped walnuts