Chocolate Cake

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Ingredients

1. 225g butter, softened, plus extra for greasing
2. 225g caster sugar
3. 4 large free-range eggs
4. 100g self-raising flour
5. 1 tsp baking powder
6. 2 tbsp cocoa powder
7. A little milk

For the icing

1. 250g dark chocolate
2. 250g butter, softened
3. 175g icing sugar

Method

• Preheat the oven to 180°C/fan160°C/gas 4. Grease 2 x 20cm sandwich tins with a little butter and base line with baking paper. In a bowl, beat together the butter and sugar with an electric hand whisk until light and fluffy.

• Add the eggs, 1 at a time, beating after each addition. Sift in the flour, baking powder and cocoa, then lightly fold into the mixture.

• Add a little milk until you have a dropping consistency, then divide between the tins.

• Bake for 20-25 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Leave to cool in the tin for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

• Melt the chocolate in a bowl over a pan of simmering water, then cool slightly. In a bowl, beat the butter and icing sugar together with an electric hand whisk until light and fluffy, then fold in the melted chocolate.

• Spread some icing over 1 of the cakes, top with the other cake and the rest of the icing.