My Famous Moist Chocolate Cake

I have kept this recipe a secret. However, with so many people asking me for it, and because 2020 was such a wash out year, I feel like treating you. This cake took me months to perfect. I am now finally 100% satisfied with the results. The cake is moist, and beautifully decadent. The perfect centre piece of any gathering or Soiree. Bake it, trust me it will be a firm go - to cake to satisfy your chocolate cravings! The key here, is not to "cheap" on ingredients. If you stick to the recipe, you won't go wrong.

Ingredients:

220g Sifted "00" Grade Extra Fine Premium Plain Flour

70g Meniers Swiss Cocoa Powder

350g Caster Sugar

2 tsp Baking Soda

1 tsp Baking Powder

1 tsp Kosher Salt

2 heaped tsp Ground Instant Espresso Coffee Powder ( use a good quality one)

120ml Vegetable Oil

2 Large Organic Free Range Eggs ( I use Clarence Court Burford Brown)

2 tsp Vanilla Seed Paste ( I use Taylor and Colledge)

240ml Buttermilk ( see recipe on my website)

240ml Freshly brewed Saint' Eustachio Coffee

For the Buttercream:

300g Unsalted Roddas Cornish Butter

450g Icing Sugar

70g Menier Swiss Cocoa Powder

55ml Heavy Cream ( at room temperature)

1 tsp Kosher Salt

1 tsp Vanilla Seed Paste

Chocolate Hearts ( Waitrose) to decorate

Gold Sprinkle Dust (Waitrose) to decorate

Method:

1. Pre - Heat the Oven to 180c and grease and line x2 9" Cake Tins.

2. Mix the sifted flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, kosher salt and espresso powder into a large mixing bowl. Set to one side.

3. Using a stand mixer or hand held, whisk together the eggs, oil and vanilla seed paste on medium speed until combined. Add the buttermilk and mix. Now pour the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and add the brewed coffee, whisk on a low speed until the batter is completely combined. Don't worry, the batter will be of a thin consistency. This is normal.

4. Divide evenly between the cake tins. You can eye ball this or I like to weigh each tin for accurate consistency. Then bake in the centre of the pre-heated oven for about 20 - 25 mins. Each oven is different, but a tooth pick inserted into the centre of the cakes should come out clean.

5. When baked, allow to cool completely in the tins.

To make the Buttercream:

Simply mix the butter on a medium speed in the stand mixer until creamy. Then add the icing sugar and cocoa power mix slowly, else you will have a snow scene in the kitchen. Then add the heavy cream, kosher salt and vanilla seed paste. Beat on low again for 1 min.

If the frosting is looking too thin, add and mix 1 tbsp of icing or cocoa powder until you get the desired consistency.

6. When the cakes are cooled , frost them using an offset spatula or a Wilton 1M Pipe tip with piping bag, not forgetting to place chocolate buttercream in the centre of the cake too. Before slicing the cake, place into fridge for 1hr.

*Tip:

This cake will keep for 3 - 5 days kept covered in an airtight container and stored in the fridge.