Favourite Chocolate Cake

Ingredients;

Serves 10-12

• 200g dark chocolate, chopped

•  250g butter, chopped

•  70g (1/2 cup) self-raising flour

•  70g (1/2 cup) plain flour

•  1/4 tsp bicarbonate of soda

•  300g (1 1/2 cups) light brown sugar

•  50g (1/2 cup) cocoa powder

•  3 large eggs

•  180g (3/4 cup) buttermilk

•  chocolate curls, to decorate (optional)

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Method

1. Preheat oven to 180°C(360°F). Grease and line base and side with baking paper of a 20cm (8 inch) round cake pan. In a medium bowl, place flours, bicarbonate of soda, sugar and sifted cocoa. Stir to combine. Set aside.

2. In a small saucepan over low heat, place chocolate and butter. Cook, stirring, for 10 minutes or until melted. Set aside to cool.

3. Whisk eggs and buttermilk. Stir buttermilk, then chocolate, into flour mixture. Pour into prepared pan. Bake for 1 hour 20 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Stand cake in pan for 15 minutes. Cool on a wire rack.

MAKE THE CHOCOLATE GANACHE

4. In a saucepan over low heat, place chocolate and cream. Cook, stirring, until smooth. Cover. Refrigerate for 30 minutes or until a spreadable consistency.

5. Split cake in half. Place base of cake on serving plate. Spread over half the ganache. Sandwich with cake top. Spread top and side of cake with remaining ganache. Top with chocolate curls, if using. Stand for 10 minutes or until ganache sets slightly. 

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​​'' Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.'' – Winston Churchill

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