chocolate cake:
What you need:
*3 large eggs
*175g self raising flour
*175g caster sugar
*175g softened butter
*11/2 tsp baking powder
40g cocoa powder
*4 tbsp boiling water
*3 large eggs
*175g self raising flour
*175g caster sugar
*175g softened butter
*11/2 tsp baking powder
40g cocoa powder
*4 tbsp boiling water
For the icing
*150ml (5fl oz) double cream
*150g (5oz) plain chocolate, broken into pieces
*4 tbsp apricot jam
*150ml (5fl oz) double cream
*150g (5oz) plain chocolate, broken into pieces
*4 tbsp apricot jam
What do you do:
* Preheat the oven to 180C, gas 4.
*Beat together the eggs, flour, caster sugar, butter and baking powder until smooth in a large mixing bowl.
*Put the cocoa in separate mixing bowl, and add the water a little at a time to make a stiff paste. Add to the cake mixture.
*Turn into the prepared tins, level the top and bake in the preheated oven for about 20-25 mins, or until shrinking away from the sides of the tin and springy to the touch.
*Leave to cool in the tin, then turn on to a wire rack to become completely cold before icing.
*To make the icing: measure the cream and chocolate into a bowl and carefully melt over a pan of hot water over a low heat, or gently in the microwave for 1 min (600w microwave). Stir until melted, then set aside to cool a little and to thicken up.
*To ice the cake: spread the apricot jam on the top of each cake. *Spread half of the ganache icing on the top of the jam on one of the cakes, then lay the other cake on top, sandwiching them together.
*Use the remaining ganache icing to ice the top of the cake in a swirl pattern. Dust with icing sugar to serve.
* Preheat the oven to 180C, gas 4.
*Beat together the eggs, flour, caster sugar, butter and baking powder until smooth in a large mixing bowl.
*Put the cocoa in separate mixing bowl, and add the water a little at a time to make a stiff paste. Add to the cake mixture.
*Turn into the prepared tins, level the top and bake in the preheated oven for about 20-25 mins, or until shrinking away from the sides of the tin and springy to the touch.
*Leave to cool in the tin, then turn on to a wire rack to become completely cold before icing.
*To make the icing: measure the cream and chocolate into a bowl and carefully melt over a pan of hot water over a low heat, or gently in the microwave for 1 min (600w microwave). Stir until melted, then set aside to cool a little and to thicken up.
*To ice the cake: spread the apricot jam on the top of each cake. *Spread half of the ganache icing on the top of the jam on one of the cakes, then lay the other cake on top, sandwiching them together.
*Use the remaining ganache icing to ice the top of the cake in a swirl pattern. Dust with icing sugar to serve.
