Easy chocolate & yoghurt cake

SERVES 10-12

I’m tempted to say that this is the only chocolate cake recipe you’ll ever need! It makes a high, moist, dense cake that keeps well and can be decorated in so many ways. Mum and I did a cake-decorating course a few years ago and if I could remember the tutor’s name, I’d happily credit her with sharing this recipe – it‘s a sensational cake.

1 cup sunflower (or other

flavourless) oil

2 eggs

2 cups sugar

3 cups plain flour

3 tsp baking powder

cup cocoa

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp vanilla

tsp salt

1 cup natural unsweetened

yoghurt

1 cup strong black coffee GANACHE

125ml cream

125g dark choclate, chopped 1 Preheat oven to 160°C. Grease and line the bottom of a 23cm spring-form tin.

2 Place all the ingredients in a mixer, sieving in the dry ingredients and adding the coffee last. Beat for 1 minute until well-combined.

3 Bake for 50-60 minutes or until a skewer inserted comes out clean.

4 When cool, remove from the tin and allow to cool.

5 To make ganache, heat cream until trembling stage

(just before it boils). Remove from the heat.

6 Add chocolate. Cover with a tea towel for 15 minutes, then whisk until thick and shiny.

7 Cool slightly, then pour gradually onto the centre of the cake, allowing it to cover the top and drizzle down the sides. For a shiny finish, leave untouched. Smoothing it with a spatula takes the shine off it.

8 Cover with fresh flowers.