350g (12oz) dark chocolate (39 per cent cocoa solids), broken into pieces
225g (8oz) butter, softened
3 eggs
400g (14oz) caster sugar
400g (14oz) self-raising flour
1½ teaspoons baking powder
For The Truffle Filling
225g (8oz) dark chocolate (39 per cent cocoa solids), broken into pieces
150ml double cream
150g (5oz) butter, softened
500g (1lb 2oz) icing sugar, sifted
For The Ganache Icing
225g (8oz) dark chocolate (39 per cent cocoa solids), broken into pieces
125ml (4½fl oz) double cream
Preheat the oven 160C/140Fan/Gas 3. You will need 2 × deep 23cm (9inch) round loosebottomed or springform tin, greased and base lined.
Instructions
1
To make the cake, put the broken pieces of chocolate and butter into a pan. Add 300ml water and heat gently over a low heat, stirring until melted and smooth. Cool slightly. Break the eggs into a mixing bowl and beat with a fork. Add the caster sugar and beat again until smooth. Gradually pour in the melted chocolate mixture and whisk by hand until smooth. Sift the flour and baking powder into the chocolate mixture and mix until smooth.
2
Divide evenly between the cake tins. Bake for 1–1¼ hours or until springy to the touch and shrinking away from the edges of the tin. After 10 minutes turn on to a wire rack to cool and remove the paper.
3
To make the filling, sit a bowl over a pan of simmering water. Add the chocolate and cream to the bowl and gently melt, stirring until smooth. Remove from the heat, add the butter to the hot chocolate and cream and stir until smooth. Sift in half the icing sugar, and mix, then add the remaining icing sugar and mix until smooth. Set aside to cool until thick. To make the ganache icing, gently heat the cream in a pan. Add the broken chocolate to the hot cream and stir until melted.
4
Slice each cake in half horizontally and sit one piece on a plate. Divide the truffle filling into three and spread a third of the filling on top of one cake, repeat so you have four layers of cake and three layers of filling. The side of the cake needs to be exactly level, if not trim with a serrated knife. Pour the ganache icing over the top of the cake and let it run down the sides, using a palette knife to spread it evenly over the top and the sides of the cake to give a smooth shiny glaze. Set aside until firm then cut into wedges to serve.
Prepare Ahead
1
The cake can be made and assembled the day ahead and kept in the fridge – best to ice with the ganache icing on the day of serving.
Freeze
1
Cakes freeze well filled but not iced.
AGA
1
Bake on grid shelf on the floor of the roasting oven, with the cold sheet on the second set of runners for about 35 minutes. Transfer the hot cold sheet to the simmering oven and sit the cake on top and bake for a further 35 minutes, or until cooked right through.
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