I made this for a friend's birthday last weekend, it was heavenly (or sinful maybe??!?!). I couldn't find buttermilk so used plain natural yoghurt instead. Also I was concerned the top was browning too quick and that it would burn, so covered it with greaseproof paper and it was fine.
200g/8oz good-quality dark chocolate, about 60% cocoa solids
200g/8oz butter, cut in pieces
1 tbsp instant coffee granules
85g/3oz self-raising flour
85g/3oz plain flour
1⁄4 tsp bicarbonate of soda
200g/7oz light muscovado sugar
200g/7oz golden caster sugar
25g/1oz cocoa powder
3 medium eggs
75ml buttermilk (5 tbsp)
grated chocolate or curls, to decorate
FOR THE GANACHE
200g/8oz good-quality dark chocolate, as above
284ml carton double cream (pouring type)
2 tbsp golden caster sugar
Butter a 20cm round cake tin (7.5cm deep) and line the base. Heat the
oven to 160C/fan 140C/gas 3. Break the chocolate in pieces into a medium, heavy-based pan. Tip in the butter, then mix the coffee granules into 125ml/4fl oz cold water and pour into the pan. Warm through over a low heat just until everything is melted – don’t overheat. Or melt in the microwave on Medium for about 5 minutes, stirring half way through.
While the chocolate is melting, mix the two flours, bicarbonate of soda,
sugars and cocoa in a big bowl, mixing with your hands to get rid of any lumps. Beat the eggs in a bowl and stir in the buttermilk.
Now pour the melted chocolate mixture and the egg mixture into the flour
mixture, stirring just until everything is well blended and you have a smooth, quite runny consistency. Pour this into the tin and bake for 1 hour 25- 1 hour 30 minutes – if you push a skewer in the centre it should come out clean and the top should feel firm (don’t worry if it cracks a bit). Leave to cool in the tin (don’t worry if it dips slightly), then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
When the cake is cold, cut it horizontally into two.
Make the ganache: chop the chocolate into small pieces and tip into a bowl. Pour the cream into a pan, add the sugar, and heat until it is about to boil. Take off the heat and pour it over the chocolate. Stir until the chocolate has melted and the mixture is smooth.
If you feel the ganache is too runny, beat it with an electric whisk for ten minutes, and put it in the fridge for another 10mins.
Sandwich the layers together with just a little of the ganache. Pour the rest
over the cake letting it fall down the sides and smoothing to cover with a
palette knife. Decorate with grated chocolate or a pile of chocolate curls.
The cake keeps moist and gooey for 3-4 days.