Remember the mantra four, four, four, and two (4oz sugar, 4oz butter, 4oz self-raising flour and 2 eggs) and you’ll be good. Topping the cake with a simple ganache elevates a simple cake to a whole new level and will impress anyone. You’ll need an 8” round loose bottomed cake tin.
Ingredients
110g soft butter
110g caster sugar
2 eggs
Pinch of salt
100g self raising flour
25g cocoa powder
4tbsp double cream
150g milk chocolate
Preheat the oven to 170 degrees fan. Grease the cake tin. Cream (beat with a wooden or silicone spoon) the butter and sugar in a mixing bowl until pale and fluffy, then add the eggs one at a time, and beat into the butter and sugar mix, adding a tablespoon of flour to stop the eggs from curdling.
Sprinkle in the salt. Sift the rest of the flour and the cocoa powder into the bowl and gently stir everything together so that the mixture is smooth. Pour the batter into the prepared cake tin and bake for 20 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean. Turn out onto a wire cooling-rack and leave to cool.
If the chocolate isn’t drops or buttons either chop it into small pieces or put into a sandwich bag and bash with a rolling pin or heavy based saucepan to break it up. Pour the double cream into a small saucepan and gently heat to just below boiling. Take off the heat and drop in the chocolate, stirring continuously until it’s smooth and all mixed together. Leave to cool and thicken a little.
Place the cake on its serving plate and pour over the ganache, spreading it evenly across the top of the cake and letting a little drip down the sides. Serve and enjoy.
