This chocolate cake is rich and chocolaty and made for celebrating. This is the cake Mark asks for and goes far too quickly. I usually bake it again the next week and adorn it with chocolate eggs for Easter Sunday. With any chocolate cake, it’s all about the quality of the ingredients. We use organic,  local and the best ingredients we can, and you can taste it!

Serves 10-12

Ingredients

For the cake

350g caster sugar 

225g plain flour 

85g organic cocoa powder

1 ½ tsp baking powder 

1 ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda

2 free-range eggs

250ml milk

125ml olive oil (works with any oil)

2 tsp vanilla extract

250ml boiling water

For the chocolate ganache 

200g organic 70% chocolate, broken into pieces 

200ml double cream 

Method

Preheat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan) / Gas 4. Grease and line two 20cm sandwich tins.

1. Make the cake mix

Add all the cake ingredients (except the boiling water) to a large bowl. Beat until smooth. Gradually stir in the boiling water until the mixture is smooth. Pour the liquid batter evenly between the tins and bake for 25–35 minutes. You will know when it is ready when a skewer comes out clean. Leave the cakes to cool completely in their tins. Don’t worry if they tops have cracked as everything will be covered by the rich ganache later.  

2. For the ganache

On a low heat, gently heat the chocolate and cream together, stirring until melted and smooth. Remove from the heat and whisk until glossy. It will need a couple hours to cool and thicken. 

3. To serve

Once cooled, loosen the cakes from the tins and turn out carefully- running a knife around the edge of the tin can help. Spread some of the ganache on one cake before placing the second cake on top. I find it easiest to put the cake on the serving dish now before spreading the rest of the ganache over the top and sides using a palette knife. Be quick! This cakes never stays on the cake stand for long.