Double Layer, Rich Chocolate Cake (serves 14-16)

By far the best chocolate cake recipe ever! This double layer chocolate cake is moist, decadent and very rich – definitely one for all the chocolate lovers out there.  Originally published in Gourmet, a US food magazine, this cake recipe is now one of the most popular recipes on many a baking website.

Ingredients: Cake

80g fine-quality dark chocolate (I used 65% Lindt), finely chopped
1 1/2 cups hot brewed coffee
3 cups sugar
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups unsweetened cocoa powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
3 large eggs
3/4 cup vegetable oil
1 1/2 cups well-shaken buttermilk
1 tsp teaspoon vanilla

Ingredients: Chocolate Icing

350g icing sugar
4 tablespoons cocoa
3 tablespoon boiling water
375g baking margarine

Special Equipment

Two 25cm by 5cm deep round cake pans. If you have smaller pans, then you’ll need to reduce the amount of batter added to the pans.

Method – Cake:

1. Preheat oven to 150°C and grease pans. Line the bottoms with rounds of wax paper.
2. In a bowl, add the chocolate and then pour the hot coffee over.  Allow the mixture to stand and then stir until all the chocolate has melted.
3. In a large bowl sift the sugar, flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt together.
4. In another large bowl, beat the eggs with an electric mixer for approx 3 minutes.
5. Add oil, buttermilk, vanilla, and melted chocolate mixture to the eggs and beat until well combined.
6. Add the dry ingredients mixture and beat on medium speed until well combined.
7. Divide the batter between two pans and bake in the middle of the oven for approximately 1 hour 30 minutes or until a wooden skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean.
8. Cool layers completely in pans on racks. Once cool, invert layers onto racks and remove the wax paper.

Method – Icing:

1. Sift the icing sugar and cocoa into a bowl
2. Cut margarine into small blocks – soften slightly in the microwave if necessary and then add to the icing sugar and cocoa
3. Add the boiling water
4. Beat with an electric mixer until the icing is smooth.