- 175g self-raising flour , sifted
- 3 tbsp 70% cocoa powder
- 175g unsalted butter , completely softened
- 175g golden caster sugar
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 3 eggs
- 1-2 tbsp milk
- 300ml pot double cream
- 100g butter , cubed
- 100g dark chocolate , chopped plus extra to decorate
- Heat the oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4. Butter and base-line 2 x 18cm sandwich tins. Take 3 tbsp flour from the full flour amount and put it back in the bag - the cocoa powder will make up the difference.
- Put all the cake ingredients (not the double cream) in a large bowl and beat them together with an electric whisk until you have a creamy mixture. Add a little milk if the mix is too stiff - it should fall easily from a spoon. Divide the mixture between the prepared tins and level the surfaces of the cake mixtures. Bake on the same shelf in the oven for 20-25 minutes or until the sponge springs back when pressed. Cool for 5 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack, peel off the base paper and cool completely.
- To make the icing, melt the butter and chocolate together in a microwave, or in a bowl set over a pan of simmering water. Stir well, then leave until it's cool enough to spread easily and will run a little.
- Whip the cream and use it to sandwich together the cakes. Spread chocolate ganache over the top of the cake, letting some run over the edge. Decorate with chocolate curls.
Change the flavour: White chocolate and rapsberry
Omit the cocoa and leave the flour at 175g. Stir a handful of white chocolate chips into the mix before baking. In the icing, swap dark chocolate for white, melt it without the butter and fold it into 150g half-fat mascarpone instead. Add a layer of fresh raspberries to the filling.
Change the flavour: Millionaires' caramel
Add 1 tbsp extra cocoa powder to the cake mix, swap the cream filling for dulche de leche or carnation caramel.
Change the flavour: Chocolate & orange
Make the cake mix and add the zest of 2 oranges and a handful of dark chocolate chips. Add the zest of an orange and a little icing sugar to the whipped cream
Dark chocolate
Lulu prefers to use ordinary dark chocolate, which has a little added sweetness, for this kind of icing - you can use 70% chocolate, but you may need to sweeten the icing with a little sugar if it tastes very strong and bitter.
Per serving
711 kcalories, protein 6.3g, carbohydrate 49.7g, fat 55.4 g, saturated fat 32.2g, fibre 1.3g, salt 0.67 g
