This was our first proper wintery weekend. So our plan of action for Sunday afternoon at home was to get a fire going in the lounge, get the baba and all her toys, our laptops and other stuff for us to be busy with and have a tea and chocolate cake family afternoon. How nice?This chocolate cake is so rich and moist and the amount of chocolate used for the ganache icing is certainly enough to cure any Sunday blues. Since I was feeling very very chocolatey when I baked this I opted for the bountiful two layered version – I now just need someone to help me eat what is left. I know if this cake sits in the kitchen and I am home alone I will easily make my way through it. That would be very good for my soul but my jeans’ button may not handle any further strain.

Ingredients

Makes one 22 cm cake

125 g butter
125 ml castor sugar
5 ml vanilla essence
2 extra large eggs
125 ml smooth apricot jam
310 ml self-raising flour
3 ml bicarbonate of soda
125 ml cocoa powder
250 ml buttermilk

chocolate icing
150 g dark chocolate
40 ml cream

double quantities for cake as seen in photos

What needs to be done

Cream butter and sugar and add the vanilla essence.
Add eggs, one at a time, and beat until mixture becomes fluffy.
Add the apricot jam and beat until smooth.
Sift flour, bicarb and cocoa and add, alternately with buttermilk, to butter mixture.
Line your cake tin with greaseproof paper and spoon in mixture.
Bake at 180º C for 30-45 minutes.
Leave to cool slightly in tin before turning onto a wire rack to cool.
For chocolate icing, bring the cream the boil in a saucepan, pour over broken chocolate. Whisk mixture and allow the chocolate to melt. Pour over the cake.

If you are anything like me, buy some extra choc because one thing is for sure, not all of it will make it into the pot.