Ingredients
• Cooking oil spray, for greasing
• 2 cups plain flour
• 2 Tbsp cocoa powder
• 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• 250g unsalted butter, chopped, softened
• 2 cups firmly packed brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 3 (600g) green apples, peeled, cored, coarsely grated
• Icing sugar mixture, for dusting
Chocolate cream-cheese icing
• 250g cream cheese, chopped, softened
• 100g butter, chopped, softened
• 1 tsp milk
• 100g dark chocolate, melted,at room temperature
• 2 cups icing sugar mixture
• 2 Tbsp cocoa powder
Method
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Preheat oven to 180°C. Grease two 20cm round cake tins with cooking oil spray and line base and side of each with baking paper.
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Sift flour, cocoa, bicarb, baking powder, cinnamon and ginger into a large bowl.
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Put butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer and beat on high, using paddle attachment, for 2 minutes or until light and fluffy. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in apple. Add flour mixture, in 2 batches, stirring until combined. Divide batter evenly between prepared tins. Smooth surface.
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Bake for 35 minutes or until cakes are cooked when tested with a skewer. Cool in tins for 5 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
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To make icing, put cheese and butter in the bowl of an electric mixer and beat on low, using paddle attachment, for 2 minutes or until soft and fluffy. Add milk and chocolate. Sift in sugar and cocoa and beat on low until combined. Increase speed to high and beat for a further 2 minutes or until fluffy.
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Invert 1 cake onto a serving plate or cake stand. Spoon 1 cup of the icing onto centre of cake and spread to edges using a palette knife. Sandwich with remaining cake, right side up. Spoon remaining icing on cake and spread to coat top. Dust with icing sugar to serve.