Simple chocolate cake

SERVES 16 PREP AND COOK TIME 1 HOUR 30 MINUTES

375g butter, chopped

300g dark chocolate, chopped

2 cups (500ml) water

21/3 cups (350g) cups self-raising flour

½ cup (50g) cocoa powder

1 ¾ cups (385g) caster sugar

4 eggs, beaten lightly

2 teaspoons vanilla extract shaved chocolate, candied violets and chocolate buttons, for decoration (see tip)

CHOCOLATE GANACHE

11/3 cups (330g) thickened cream 400g dark chocolate, chopped finely

1 Grease and line the base and sides of a 26cm cake pan. Preheat the oven to 160°C (140°C fan-forced).

2 Combine the butter, chocolate and water in a medium saucepan, stir over medium heat until just melted – do not boil. Remove from heat, transfer to a large bowl. Cool for 10 minutes.

3 Sift the flour and cocoa onto a piece of baking paper.

4 Whisk the sugar, eggs and vanilla into the chocolate mixture, then gradually whisk in the combined flour and cocoa.

5 Pour the mixture into the prepared cake pan and bake for 1 hour or until a skewer inserted comes out with moist crumbs.

6 Stand cake in pan for 30 minutes before inverting onto a wire rack to cool . 7 CHOCOLATE GANACHE Heat cream over medium heat until just below boiling point. Remove from heat and add chocolate; stir until smooth. Stand until thick and spreadable.

8 Spread Chocolate Ganache over top and sides of cake. Decorate with shaved chocolate, crystallised violets and chocolate pearls. Uniced cake suitable to freeze. Chocolate Ganache suitable to microwave.