Mary Berry’s Chocolate Cake

• servings: 6 servings
• active time: 30 minutes
• total time: 50 minutes

Ingredients

3 large eggs

175g (6 oz) self-raising flour

175g (6 oz) caster sugar

175g (6 oz) softened butter

1½ level tsp baking powder

40g (1½ oz) cocoa powder

4 tbsp boiling water

4 tbsp apricot jam

Directions

Heat the oven to 180C (160C fan, Gas 4). Put the eggs, flour, caster sugar, butter, and baking powder in a large bowl and beat until smooth.

In a small bowl, mix the cocoa powder with the boiling water a little at a time to make a stiff paste. Add to the cake mixture and beat until combined.

Divide the mixture between two 17cm sandwich tins which are greased and lined with a circle of baking paper.

Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until shrinking away from the sides of the tin and springy to the touch.

Leave to cool in the tin, then turn on to a wire rack to become completely cold before icing.

To make the icing: measure the cream and chocolate into a bowl and carefully melt over a pan of hot water over a low heat, or gently in the microwave for 1 min (600w microwave). Stir until melted, then set aside to cool and thicken.

To assemble the cake, spread half the jam over one of the sponges. Top with half the ganache then put the second sponge on top. Repeat with the remaining apricot jam and chocolate ganache. Dust with icing sugar, if using.

Nutrition

• Calories: 751 Kcal
• Total Fat: 48 g
• Total Carbohydrate: 68 g
• Total Sugars: 46 g
• Protein: 9 g