Chocolate cake
Two dark, tender cocoa sponges made with buttermilk and hot coffee, sandwiched and covered with a glossy dark chocolate ganache.
Method
- 1
Heat the oven to 180°C. Grease the two tins and line the bases with circles of baking paper.
- 2
Whisk the flour, sugar, cocoa, bicarbonate of soda, baking powder and salt in a large bowl, breaking up any lumps of cocoa.
- 3
In a jug, whisk the eggs, buttermilk, oil and vanilla together.
- 4
Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients and whisk until you have a smooth, thick batter.
- 5
Slowly whisk in the hot coffee. The batter will be very thin, which is how it should be.
- 6
Divide the batter evenly between the tins.
- 7
Bake until risen and springy, and a skewer in the centre comes out with no wet batter on it.
- 8
Leave the cakes in their tins, then turn them out onto a wire rack and peel off the paper.
- 9
Let the cakes cool completely.
- 10
While they cool, put the chopped chocolate in a heatproof bowl and heat the cream in a small pan until it just starts to bubble at the edges.
- 11
Pour the hot cream over the chocolate, leave it for 2 minutes, then stir from the centre outwards until smooth and glossy. Stir in the butter.
- 12
Leave the ganache at room temperature, stirring now and then, until it is thick enough to spread like soft butter.
- 13
Spread a quarter of the ganache over one cake, set the second cake on top and cover the top and sides with the rest.
Notes
- The coffee deepens the chocolate flavour without making the cake taste of coffee. Hot water works if you prefer.
- If the ganache sets too firm to spread, warm it over a pan of barely simmering water for a few seconds and stir.
- Kept covered at cool room temperature, the cake stays moist for 3 days.
Equipment
Two 20 cm deep sandwich tins, Baking paper, Large mixing bowl, Measuring jug, Whisk, Small saucepan, Wire rack, Palette knife