Simple chocolate cake

For the cake sponge:

• 1/2 cup butter

• 1 cup powdered sugar

• 1 and 3/4th cup flour

• 2 eggs

• 1 cup milk

• 1/2 cup cocoa

• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

• 1/4th teaspoon salt

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the ganache:

• 150 ml heavy cream

• 100 gm chocolate bar or chips, chopped

• 1 spoon sugar - if chocolate is unsweetened

• 1/2 tablespoon butter

For the flaky chocolate cream frosting:

• 150 ml heavy whipping cream

• 2 table spoons sugar

• 50 gm chocolate bar, chopped

• 2 table spoons chocolate chopped to flakes or curls

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees. Prepare 2 8-inch cake tins by lining with baking paper and smearing the sides with butter

2. In a mixing bowl, sift together flour, cocoa, salt and baking powder, soda

3. In a bigger bowl, cream butter and sugar until pale and fluffy.

4. Add eggs one at a time and beat gently

5. Now add the flour dry mix and milk to the butter-sugar mix alternately starting and ending with flour.

6. Fold in all the batter, from edges of the bowl to scraping the bottom to ensure no floury lumps remain. Fold in vanilla.

7. Pour into the lined tins and bake for 25-30 mins

To make the ganache:

1. Melt chocolate and butter in a double boiler

2. Stir occasionally. Remove from flame once the chocolate is melted.

3. Very Lightly whip the cream, about 1-2 mins. Add sugar and fold in the chocolate-butter mix gently

4. Stir to get a consistent chocolate ganache

To make cream frosting:

1. Melt chocolate and butter in a double boiler

2. Stir occasionally. Remove from flame once the chocolate is melted.

3. Whip the cream to soft peaks. Add sugar and continue to whip. Fold in the chocolate-butter mix gently. Note that the quantity of chocolate here is lesser than the ganache lending a light chocolate colour

4. Fold in the chocolate curls or flakes

Assembly:

1. Trim off the domes of cakes so you get flat top ready for icing.

2. Sandwich the two layers together using the cream frosting, leaving aside half for the top and sides

3. Spread rest of the frosting on top and cover the sides of the cake.

4. Leave in the fridge for 30-60 mins

5. Once the frosting has set, pour ganache on top and let it ooze down the sides