Chocolate Pound Cake

I was chatting to the lovely Kitchen Flavours with regards to cakes made on butter or oil.  We both decided that oil tends to result in a light texture which keeps better, but the classic taste and density of buttery cakes is really rather unbeatable.  So, for my next cake experiment I turned to the all time classic cake - the simple pound cake - with a chocolate variation.  This recipe comes from "500 cakes" which writes, "originally the cake was made with a pound each of butter, sugar, eggs and flour, hence its name." Whilst this cake was enjoyed, and its buttery crumb like texture was nice, I must say that it will not be taking the "best chocolate cake" title.

Ingredients
200g butter, at room temperature
320g caster sugar
6 large eggs
280g self-raising flour
4 generous tbsp of milk
1 tsp vanilla extact
5 tbsp best quality cocoa

Ingredients for Thin Layer of Icing
1 1/3 cup icing sugar
3 tbsp butter
2 tbsp warm water
1/3 cup cocoa powder
+ icing sugar for sprinkling

Method
Preheat the oven to 180 degrees (fan-forced) and grease and line a round cake tin.  Beat together the butter and sugar until pale and creamy, then  beat in the eggs one at a time.  Sift the flour over the mixture, then fold in.  Stir in the milk and vanilla.  Spoon the cake batter into the prepared tin and smooth the top with back of spoon.  Bake for 1 hour or until risen and skewer inserted comes out clean (slight chocolate stain on skewer is fine).  Leave to cool in tin for few minutes, then transfer to wire rack.  To make icing, beat together all ingredients and thinly smooth over.  Dust lightly with icing sugar and serve.