Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Preheat your oven to gas 4, 180°C, fan 160°C. Grease and line two 20cm (8in) cake tins and set them aside.
- In a large bowl, beat together the softened butter and caster sugar until the mixture becomes pale.
- Add all the remaining sponge ingredients to the bowl and beat everything together until it is well combined.
- Divide the mixture evenly between the prepared cake tins and smooth the tops.
- Bake in the oven for 20 to 25 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Once baked, let the cakes cool in the tins for 10 minutes. Then, remove them from the tins and place them on a cooling rack to cool completely.
- While the sponges cool, make the ganache. Gently heat the double cream in a saucepan. Break the dark chocolate into cubes and place them in a separate bowl.
- When the cream is just about to boil, pour it over the dark chocolate, making sure the chocolate is completely covered. Let this stand for 2 to 3 minutes.
- Whisk the ganache gently until it starts to combine and looks glossy. Allow it to cool for 10 minutes, then place it in the fridge for about 30 minutes, or until it reaches a spreadable consistency.
- Once the sponges are cool, place one layer, topside down, on a cake stand. Spread one-third of the ganache mixture over this layer.
- Top with the second sponge layer, topside up, and press down slightly to secure it onto the filling.
- Ice the top of the cake with the remaining ganache by piling it in the center and spreading it out to the sides of the top sponge. Bring the icing down the sides gradually and smooth it with a palette knife. Serve the cake in large slices.
Nutrition
Notes
If you do not have self-raising flour, you can substitute it by adding 2 teaspoons of baking powder for every 150g of plain flour you use.