LAYER ON THE CHOCOLATE!

These goodies will make the holiday super-sweet

Layered Easter Chocolate Cake

SERVES 12 PREPARATION & COOKING 55 MINUTES (PLUS COOLING)

11/ cups self-raising flour 2 1¼ cups firmly packed

brown sugar 250g unsalted butter, softened 75g dark chocolate, melted ½ cup cocoa 1½ teaspoons baking powder 1½ teaspoons vanilla extract 4 eggs 16 mini Easter eggs to decorate

(see tip) GANACHE ICING

1 / cup cream 3 160g dark chocolate, chopped BUTTERCREAM FILLING 375g unsalted butter, softened

500g icing sugar 1 / cup milk 3

1. Preheat oven to 180°C. Grease and line two 20cm round cake pans.

2. In the bowl of a food processor, place flour, sugar, butter, chocolate, cocoa, baking powder, vanilla, eggs and 2 tablespoons of water then blend until smooth. Spoon into pans and level the surfaces. Bake for 35 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre

comes out clean. Stand for 5 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

3. GANACHE ICING. Heat cream in a small pan on medium heat, bringing to the boil. Remove from heat and add chocolate. Stand for 2-3 minutes or until chocolate is melted. Whisk until smooth. Stand for 20 minutes or until cooled slightly and thickened.

4. BUTTERCREAM FILLING. Using an electric mixer, beat butter until as white as possible. Beat in sugar and milk alternately, starting and finishing with a little sugar.

5. Carefully split each cake into two layers. Sandwich together all four layers with buttercream. Top with ganache and decorate with Easter eggs to serve.