Unbelievably dark & delicious chocolate cake
This cake is so popular amongst my friends that it is requested at almost every opportunity. It has a sophisticated edge thanks to the merest hint of cinnamon and a generous scrunch of sea salt
Makes 1 large cake Prep 20 mins Cook 1 hr
FOR THE CAKE
380g butter, plus extra for the tins 380g dark chocolate (70% cocoa solids),
chopped 380g caster sugar 2 small pinches of ground cinnamon 200g plain flour 6 eggs
FOR A CRAZY BIRTHDAY TOPPING
4 Mars Bars (157g) 100ml whole milk 3 tbsp golden syrup 90g dark chocolate (70% cocoa solids),
chopped 500ml double cream 3 Flakes, chopped into 3cm lengths 2 packets of Rolos 1 large packet of peanut M&Ms
(optional) edible glitter, as many colours as
possible
1 Preheat the oven to 190C/170C fan/ gas 5 and butter and line the base of two 20cm non-stick cake tins.
2 Melt the butter in a medium pan over a low heat. Once melted, stir in the chocolate, being careful not to burn it. When the mixture becomes a smooth velvet, add the sugar, cinnamon and a little salt. Stir until the sugar has dissolved, then slowly sift in the flour, stirring to combine. Beat the eggs, then beat into the chocolate mixture a little at a time until fully incorporated.
3 Pour into the prepared tins and bake in the oven for 30- 40 mins until the outside is dark and delicious-looking, and a skewer comes out just clean. Leave to cool in the tins for 15 mins before turning out and cooling on wire racks.
4 Meanwhile, chop up the Mars Bars and melt with the milk, syrup, dark chocolate and 50ml of the double cream. Whip the rest of the cream until it just holds its shape.
5 Sandwich the cooled cakes together with the whipped cream and pour the Mars Bar sauce over the top. Scatter the Flake pieces, Rolos, M&Ms and the edible glitter over the surface of the cake in a higgledy-piggledy fashion, then cut the cake into slices and serve immediately.