I made this cake this weekend for my Dad’s birthday – I can’t really get over how well it turned out (considering I opened the oven half hour too early …I don’t read instructions very well sometimes…) and how delicious it is. I was pleasantly surprised. I thought it would be reaaaally rich with too much chocolate but somehow, it works and for that I’m thankful!
Ingredients:
200g dark chocolate
200g butter
1 tablespoon of coffee
85g self raising flour
85g plain flour
1/4 teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda
200g light brown sugar
200g granulated sugar
25g cocoa powder
3 eggs
5 tablespoons of buttermilk
For the ganache:
200g dark chocolate
300ml double cream
2 tablespoons of sugar
Method:
1) Preheat the oven to 160°C/Fan 140°C/Gas mark 3. Butter and line the bottom of a 20cm round cake tin -7.5cm deep.
2) Break the 200g of chocolate in to a bowl, add the butter in small pieces and then mix the coffee with 125ml cold water and pour on to the chocolate and butter. Melt in the microwave on a medium heat until it’s all just melted – 3 – 5 minutes, stir half way. If you would prefer, you can also melt the mixture in a pan over a low heat.
3) While the chocolate is melting, sieve the flour together, add the bicarb, add the sugars and the cocoa in a mixing bowl. Beat in the 3 eggs – mixing each time – then stir in the buttermilk.
4) Pour the melted chocolate on the flour and egg mixture. Stirring until everything is well blended and you have a smooth, quite runny consistency. Pour into the prepared tin and bake for 1 hour 25-30 minutes. Don’t worry if the top cracks a little bit. Leave to mostly cool in the tin then turn out to cool completely on a wire rack.
Method for the ganache:
1) when the cake is cold, cut it horizontally into 3. Chop the 200g of chocolate into small pieces and put into a bowl. Pour the cream into a pan, add the sugar. Heat until it is just about to boil. Take off the heat and pour it over the chocolate, stir until the chocolate has melted and the mixture is smooth.
2) Put some of the ganache in between each of the layers. Then pour the rest over the cake letting it fall down the sides. Smooth over with a knife so the whole cake is covered. ( I found this process a little messy but that’s how I roll!!) Decorate how you wish, I used grated white chocolate…..might have eaten some along the way!
P.s – Perfect eaten with ice-cream!!
With a Hint of Lemon 