Ingredients :
1 1/3 cups (200g) plain flour
2 tablespoons cocoa
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
200g good-quality dark chocolate, chopped
225g unsalted butter, softened, chopped
1 cup (220g) caster sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 eggs
1/2 cup (125ml) milk
Chocolate ganache icing and chocolate curls, to decorate
Method :
Step 1 : Preheat the oven to 160C. Grease and line a 24cm round springform cake pan.
Step 2 : Sift the flour, cocoa, baking powder and bicarbonate of soda into a bowl. Set aside.
Step 3 : Melt the chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of barely simmering water (don't let bowl touch water). Cool slightly.
Step 4 : Beat butter and sugar with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. With beaters on medium speed, add vanilla, then add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Pour in cooled chocolate and beat until well combined. Beat in a third of sifted ingredients, followed by a third of the milk. Repeat until all ingredients are incorporated, beating until smooth.
Step 5 : Pour mixture into the pan and bake for 45-55 minutes until risen and a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean. Cool in the pan on a rack for 10 minutes, then invert onto rack to cool completely.
Step 6 : To serve, spread the icing over the top and sides of the cake using a hot palette knife, then decorate with chocolate curls.
Step 7 : To make chocolate ganache: Melt 150g chopped good-quality dark chocolate with 125ml pure cream and 20g unsalted butter in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water (don't let the bowl touch the water). Stir until well combined, then set aside for 30 minutes to cool and thicken before use.
Step 8 : To make chocolate curls: Using a palette knife, spread melted chocolate 2-3mm thick on a hard clean surface such as a glass chopping board or marble slab that you can move. Stand at room temperature until almost set. Shave curls using a peeler or palette knife, pulling towards you at an angle. If the chocolate breaks, it is set too hard - leave in a warm place until more pliable. To make small curls, simply run a peeler along the side of a block of chocolate.
2 tablespoons cocoa
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
200g good-quality dark chocolate, chopped
225g unsalted butter, softened, chopped
1 cup (220g) caster sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 eggs
1/2 cup (125ml) milk
Chocolate ganache icing and chocolate curls, to decorate
Method :
Step 1 : Preheat the oven to 160C. Grease and line a 24cm round springform cake pan.
Step 2 : Sift the flour, cocoa, baking powder and bicarbonate of soda into a bowl. Set aside.
Step 3 : Melt the chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of barely simmering water (don't let bowl touch water). Cool slightly.
Step 4 : Beat butter and sugar with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. With beaters on medium speed, add vanilla, then add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Pour in cooled chocolate and beat until well combined. Beat in a third of sifted ingredients, followed by a third of the milk. Repeat until all ingredients are incorporated, beating until smooth.
Step 5 : Pour mixture into the pan and bake for 45-55 minutes until risen and a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean. Cool in the pan on a rack for 10 minutes, then invert onto rack to cool completely.
Step 6 : To serve, spread the icing over the top and sides of the cake using a hot palette knife, then decorate with chocolate curls.
Step 7 : To make chocolate ganache: Melt 150g chopped good-quality dark chocolate with 125ml pure cream and 20g unsalted butter in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water (don't let the bowl touch the water). Stir until well combined, then set aside for 30 minutes to cool and thicken before use.
Step 8 : To make chocolate curls: Using a palette knife, spread melted chocolate 2-3mm thick on a hard clean surface such as a glass chopping board or marble slab that you can move. Stand at room temperature until almost set. Shave curls using a peeler or palette knife, pulling towards you at an angle. If the chocolate breaks, it is set too hard - leave in a warm place until more pliable. To make small curls, simply run a peeler along the side of a block of chocolate.
