Devil’s Food Cake

Serves 8-10, Prep and Cook: 1 hour, 45 mins

²⁄³ cup boiling water

½ cup cocoa powder

2 tsps instant coffee granules ½ tsp red food colouring 225g unsalted butter, chopped,

at room temperature

1½ cups caster sugar

3 eggs

2 cups plain flour

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp bicarbonate of soda

²⁄³ cup milk Quartered fresh strawberries

and whipped cream, to serve

CHOCOLATE FROSTING 200g dark chocolate, finely

chopped

¹⁄³ cup pure cream

75g unsalted butter, finely

chopped, at room temperature

1 Grease a 22cm round cake pan. Line base and side with baking paper.

2 Combine water, cocoa, coffee and colouring in a jug. Whisk until smooth. Cool.

3 Beat butter and sugar in a large bowl of an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Reduce speed to low. Gradually, beat in cocoa mixture until combined. Mixture will look curdled.

4 Fold in combined sifted flour, baking powder and soda with milk in two batches until combined. Spoon into prepared pan. Smooth over top.

5 Cook in a moderately slow oven (160C) for about 1 hour, 15 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into centre comes out clean. Stand in pan for 10 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack to cool.

6 To make frosting, place chocolate and cream in a medium heatproof bowl sitting over a saucepan of simmering water. Stir until smooth. Remove from heat. Gradually whisk in butter until combined. Refrigerate for about

30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes, or until slightly thickened, but still glossy.

7 Spread frosting over top and side of cake. Serve with strawberries and cream.