DEVIL’S FOOD CAKE

This is quite simply the best chocolate cake I have ever eaten. The recipe was given to me by Rebecca, who works behind the scenes for The Great British Bake Off. She is an absolutely brilliant baker. She says the recipe comes from her mum – so thank you for this, Rebecca’s mum. It’s so lovely that recipes get passed along and shared, spreading joy around the world.

Serves 12-16

For the chocolate frosting 200ml (7fl oz) double cream 350g (12oz) butter

450g (1lb) dark chocolate, finely chopped

For the sponges

75g (2¾oz) cocoa powder, sifted 150g (5oz) light brown sugar 2tsp vanilla paste

335g (11¾oz) plain flour

1tsp baking powder 1tsp bicarbonate of soda

200g (7oz) butter, plus extra for greasing 225g (8oz) caster sugar

3 large eggs

For the decoration

150g (5½oz) dark chocolate

(70% cocoa solids)

Oil, for greasing

To make the chocolate frosting, pour the cream into a saucepan, add the butter and heat, stirring occasionally, until the butter has melted. Bring to just below boiling point, then remove from the heat. Add the chocolate and whisk until smooth and glossy. Pour into a bowl and leave to set at room temperature, whisking occasionally.

Preheat the oven to 180°C/fan 160°C/ gas 4. Grease three 20cm diameter loosebottomed sandwich tins with butter and line them with baking parchment.

To make the sponges, place the cocoa powder, light brown sugar, vanilla paste and 375ml boiling water in a bowl and whisk together until all the sugar has dissolved. Set aside to cool.

Sieve the plain flour, baking powder and bicarbonate of soda together into a separate bowl, and set aside.

With an electric mixer, cream the butter and caster sugar together in a third bowl until pale and fluffy, then beat in the eggs, one at a time, mixing in a tablespoon of the flour mixture after each egg. Fold in the rest of the flour, one third at a time, making sure you disperse any flour pockets through the mixture before adding the next lot.

Fold the cooled cocoa mixture into the flour mixture, then divide the mixture equally between the three tins and bake in the oven for 25-30 minutes, until the sponges are risen and a skewer inserted into the centres comes out clean.

Remove the cakes from the oven, leave to cool in the tins for 5 minutes, then turn out onto wire racks to cool completely.

For the decoration, grease the underside of a baking tray with oil. Melt the chocolate in a bowl set over a pan of gently simmering water, and when it’s melted, pour onto the greased tray. Leave to set, then drag a cheese plane (slicer) or vegetable peeler over the surface to create curls. Set aside and keep cool.

Place one sponge on a cake stand and spread with one-quarter of the frosting. Place another sponge on top and spread with another quarter of the frosting. Place the remaining sponge on top, then spread the remaining frosting over the top and sides of the cake, swirling with a palette knife. Arrange the chocolate curls on top of the cake to decorate.