Ingredients
• Cooking oil spray, for greasing
• 150g dark chocolate, chopped
• ¾ cups hot water
• 200g unsalted butter, chopped
• 1½ cups caster sugar
• 3 eggs
• 1 cup self-raising flour, sifted
• 1 cup plain flour, sifted
• ¼ cup cocoa powder, sifted
Chocolate buttercream icing
• 300g unsalted butter, chopped
• 300g dark chocolate, chopped
Note: Allow 15 minutes cooling time
Method
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Preheat oven to 160°C. Spray a 20cm round cake tin with cooking oil and line base and side with baking paper.
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Put chocolate, water and ½ the butter in a medium saucepan over a low heat. Cook, stirring with a spatula, until mixture is melted and smooth, but not boiling.
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Transfer mixture to a large bowl and set aside to cool for 15 minutes or until mixture is at room temperature.
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Meanwhile, put sugar and remaining butter in the bowl of an electric mixer and beat for 5 minutes or until light and fluffy. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Add chocolate mixture and beat to combine. Fold in flours and cocoa powder until combined.
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Spoon batter into prepared tin. Bake for 1¼ hours or until cooked when tested with a skewer. Cool in tin for 5 minutes, then turn out, upside down, onto a wire rack to cool completely.
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Meanwhile, to make icing, put butter and chocolate in a glass or ceramic bowl over a saucepan of simmering water. Stir until melted and smooth. Set aside to cool for 30 minutes or until mixture is at room temperature. Beat, using a whisk or electric mixer, for 2 minutes or until mixture is thick and spreadable.
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Turn cake right-side up. Cut cake in half horizontally. Put base on a cake stand or serving platter. Spoon 1 cup of the icing on centre and spread to edges, using a palette knife. Sandwich with remaining cake half.
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Spoon remaining icing on cake and spread to coat top and side. Serve.