Lorna's Wicked Chocolate Cake

Ingredients

• 10 ounces plain flour
• 12 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
• 6 ounces caster sugar
• 6 ounces light muscovado sugar
• 8 fluid ounces water
• 2 ounces cocoa powder
• 4 ounces unsalted butter
• 1 teaspoon vanilla essence
• 1 teaspoon malt vinegar
• 14 pint single cream
• 2 eggs
• 4 ounces plain dark chocolate
• roughly chopped
• 3 tablespoons water
• 7 ounces caster sugar
• 6 tablespoons single cream
• 4 ounces unsalted butter
• 12 teaspoon vanilla essence
• 4 ounces plain dark chocolate
• roughly chopped
• 1 ounce unsalted butter
• 3 tablespoons water

Instructions

1. For the cake:.
2. Preheat the oven to gas mark 5/190degC/375degF.
3. Grease and flour two 8 1/2 inch round sandwich tins and line the bottom of each with greaseproof paper (baking parchment?
4. ).
5. Sift the flour, bicarbonate of soda and the two types of sugar into a bowl and make a well in the centre.
6. place the water, cocoa powder and butter in a small saucepan and stir over a medium heat until the butter melts and the mixture is smooth- don't allow the mixture to boil though.
7. Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla.
8. Add the vinegar to the cream and stir into the flour/sugar mixture.
9. Add the cocoa mixture and eggs- there should be no more cake ingredients left- and whisk together until smooth.
10. Divide the mixture equally between the two tins and bake for 20-25 minutes until until the cakes have risen and are firm but springy to the touch.
11. Remove rom the tins& place on wire racks to cool.
12. For the filling:.
13. Put the chocolate& water into a small saucepan& melt over a low heat, stirring continuously, until smooth- set this mixture aside for a moment.
14. Put the caster sugar, cream and butter into another saucepan& heat over a moderate heat for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring continuously until the spoon will leave a trail in the mixture.
15. Remove from the heat& stir in the chocolate mixture and the vanilla.
16. Allow to cool, stirring occasionally& then place in a fridge until cold.
17. Sandwich the two cakes together with the filling and leave on a rack over a tray.
18. To ice the cake:.
19. Put the remaining chocolate in a small saucepan with the butter and the water.
20. Heat, whilst stirring continuously, until the chocolate melts& the mixture becomes smooth and will coat the back of a spoon- do NOT overheat.
21. Pour the icing over the top of the cake and then chill until set.