Rich Chocolate Cake

Ingredients:

- 190 g flour - regular all purpose
- 50 g cocoa powder - unsweetened
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp salt
- 170 g unsalted butter
- 200 g dark chocolate (50%)
- 80 g milk - room temperature
- 300 g white granulated sugar
- 1½ tbsp instant coffee powder
- 55 g unflavoured vegetable oil - I use canola oil
- 1 tsp vanilla essence/extract
- 2 large eggs - room temperature
- 110 g hot water

Chocolate Fudge Frosting:
- 226 g cream
- 4 tsp cocoa powder - unsweetened
- 400 g dark chocolate (50%)
- 226 g unsalted butter
- 170 g icing sugar - also known as powdered sugar/confectioners sugar
- ½ tsp salt
- 2 tsp vanilla essence/extract

Instructions:

Chocolate Cake:
1. Preheat oven to 160 °C with the fan on and grease the bottom and sides of two 8-inch cake tins also line the bottom of the tin with baking/parchment paper

2. In a bowl, sift together your flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Using a whisk, mix until well combined. Set aside.

3. In a large microwave-safe bowl, add in your butter and dark chocolate. Melt in the microwave for 30-second bursts at a time, mixing in between each burst until fully melted.

4. Add in your milk and using a whisk, mix until well combined. This will help cool down your mixture.

5. Next add in your sugar, coffee powder, vegetable oil, vanilla and eggs. Using a whisk, mix for about 1 minute. You should have a few bubbles on the top of your batter when finished.

6. Add in your pre-sifted dry ingredients and mix until just combined.

7. Lastly, add in your hot water and mix until just combined. Do not overmix the batter.

8. Evenly distribute the batter into your cake tins and bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.

9. Allow the cakes to cool in the cake tins for 30 minutes, before turning them out onto a wire rack to completely cool

Chocolate fudge frosting:

1. Place a saucepan or pot over medium heat and add in your cream. Heat until you start to see little bubbles forming around the edges of the pan. The cream shouldn't be boiling.

2. Turn the heat to low and add in the cocoa powder. Mix until well combined.

3. Add in the remaining ingredients and continue to gently stir until all the solid ingredients are melted and you have a very smooth mixture.

4. Strain the mixture into a heat-proof bowl to get rid of any lumps, and then cover the top with cling wrap so that the cling wrap is directly touching the top of the frosting. This will prevent skin from forming as it cools down.

5. Place the frosting into the fridge for 2 hours to allow it to set.

6. Once your cake layers are cool and your frosting is at a spreadable consistency, ice your cake however you wish and it's ready to eat