Ingredients
Sponge
100 g/ 3½ oz of dark chocolate
250 g/ 9 oz/ 2¼ cups of self-raising flour
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda (baking soda)
225 g/ 8 oz/ 1 cup of butter
400 g/ 14 oz of dark muscovite sugar
1 tsp vanilla flavoring (extract)
3 eggs
125 ml/ 4 fl oz/ ½ cup of buttermilk
225 ml/ 8 fl oz/ 2 cups of boiling water
FROSTING
300 g/ 10½ oz of caster (superfine) sugar
2 egg whites
1 tbsp lemon juice
3 tbsp orange juice
candied orange peel, to decorate
Preparation
- Lightly grease two 20 cm/8 inch shallow round cake tins (pans) and line the bases.
- Melt the chocolate in a pan.
- Sieve (strain) the flour and bicarbonate of soda (baking soda) together.
- Beat the butter and sugar in a bowl until pale and fluffy.
- Beat in the vanilla flavoring (extract) and the eggs, one at a time and beating well after each addition.
- Add a little flour if the mixture begins to curdle.
- Fold the melted chocolate into the mixture until well blended.
- Gradually fold in the remaining flour, then stir in the buttermilk and boiling water.
- Divide the mixture between the tins (pans) and level the tops.
- Bake in a preheated oven, 190°C/ 375°F/ Gas Mark 5, for 30 minutes until springy to the touch.
- Leave to cool in the tin (pan) for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Place the frosting ingredients in a large bowl set over a pan of gently simmering water.
- Whisk, preferably with an electric beater, until thickened and forming soft peaks.
- Remove from the heat and whisk until the mixture is cool.
- Sandwich the 2 cakes together with a little of the frosting, then spread the remainder over the sides and top of the cake, swirling it as you do so.
- Decorate with the candied orange peel.
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