Very Best Chocolate Cake

INGREDIENTS

CAKE

• 2 oz (50g) cocoa
• 6 tablespoons boiling water
• 3 eggs
• 2 tablespoons milk
• 6 oz (175g) self raising flour
• 1 rounded teaspoon baking powder
• 4oz (100g) baking spread especially for cakes or soft butter
• 10 oz (300g) caster sugar

ICING AND

FILLING

• 5oz (150g) Bournville chocolate broken into small pieces
• 5 floz (150ml) pouring double cream
• 3 tablespoons apricot jam
• 1 small bar white chocolate (optional)

Instructions

1. Pre-heat the oven to 180ºC/160fan/Gas 4
2. Grease 2 x 20cm (8”) push sandwich tins.
3. First measure the cocoa and boiling water into a large bowl, and mix well to make a paste. Add the remaining ingredients and beat again until combined. Divide the cake mixture between the prepared tins. Bake in the pre-heated oven for about 30 minutes until well risen and shrinking away from the sides of the tin. Cool for ten minutes. To turn out loosen the sides of the tin with a palette knife if needs be, then stand the tin on a mug or baked bean tin, hold the sides firmly and press down to release.
4. For the icing and filling, pour the double cream into a saucepan and place over a medium heat until just simmering, remove from the heat, then add the chocolate and stir well until the chocolate is melted and the mixture smooth. Set aside and allow to become cold and almost set.
5. Spread the tops of each cake with apricot jam. Sandwich the cakes with half the icing and spread the remainder on top. Take a small palette knife and draw large “S” shapes to give a swirl effect. Shave the white chocolate into curls with a potato peeler and arrange over the top of the cake if liked to decorate.

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