Recipe

Recipe for Chocolate Cake
Ingredients
For the cake
225g/8oz plain flour
350g/12½oz caster sugar
85g/3oz cocoa powder
1½ tsp baking powder
1½ tsp bicarbonate of soda2 free-range eggs
250ml/9fl oz milk
125ml/4½fl oz vegetable oil
2 tsp vanilla extract
250ml/9fl oz boiling water
For the chocolate icing
200g/7oz plain chocolate200ml/7fl oz double cream

Preparation method
. Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4. Grease and line two 20cm/8in sandwich tins.
Technique: Greasing and lining cake tins 


.For the cake, place all of the cake ingredients, except the boiling water, into a large mixing bowl. Using a wooden spoon, or electric whisk, beat the mixture until smooth and wellcombined.

. Add the boiling water to the mixture, a little at a time, until smooth. (The cake mixture will now be very liquid.)

. Divide the cake batter between the sandwich tinsand bake in the oven for 25-35 minutes, or until the top is firm to the touch and a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean.

. Remove the cakes from the oven andallow to cool completely, still in their tins, before icing.
. For the chocolate icing, heat the chocolate and cream in a saucepan over a low heat until the chocolate melts. Removethe pan from the heat and whisk the mixture until smooth, glossy and thickened. Set aside to cool for 1-2 hours, or until thick enough to spread over the cake.

. To assemble thecake, run a round-bladed knife around the inside of the cake tins to loosen the cakes. Carefully remove the cakes from the tins.


. 
 Spread a little chocolate icing over the top ofone of the chocolate cakes, then carefully top with the other cake.
Transfer the cake to a serving plate and ice the cake all over with the chocolate icing, using a palette knife.