If you gave up chocolate for lent, I know you’re probably clawing at the wrapper on your Easter Egg in the hope that you can scrape a finger of chocolate scent to keep you going for the next few hours.  Alternatively if you want to celebrate your sacrifice with a bite of chocolate decadence I dare you to keep yourself busy over the next hour making this ridiculously easy chocolate cake that is as rich as it is dark and light as it is sinfully delicious.

Easter Chocolate Cake

Ingredients:
For the cake:
225g Plain Flour
350g Caster Sugar
85g Cocoa Powder
1&1/2 tspn Baking Powder
1&1/2 tspn Bicarbonate of Soda
2 Large Eggs
250ml Milk
125ml Vegetable Oil
2 tspn Vanilla Extract/Paste
250ml Boiling Water

For the Chocolate Ganache:
200g good quality plain chocolate
200ml double cream
chocolate shavings
1 bag of chocolate mini-eggs

Method:
1st: Preheat the oven to 180°C.  Grease and line two sandwich tins with parchment paper.
2nd: For the cake – prepare all the liquid ingredients, except the boiling water, in a measuring jug and mix.
3rd: Prepare all the dry ingredients in a mixing bowl – sieve the cocoa as otherwise it will be lumpy.
4th: Mix the ingredients together and use the boiling water to slacken the mixture.  Mix until smooth and well combined.
5th: Divide the mixture between the 2 sandwich tins and bake for 25-35mins or until the top is firm to the touch and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.
6th: Remove the cakes from the oven and allow to cool completely before icing.
7th: Prepare the chocolate ganache by heating double cream in a saucepan and adding small pieces of the chocolate.  Turn off the heat and allow the residual heat in the pan to melt the chocolate.  Stir until smooth and glossy – set aside to use later.
8th: To assemble the cake, release the cakes from their tins and place one of the sponge cakes onto a serving plate.  Spread some of the chocolate icing over this.  Then carefully top with the other cake.
9th: Carefully create a dip in the centre of the top of the cake.  Pour the ganache over and cover all over smoothing round the sides with a palette knife.  Note: if the cake or ganache are still slightly warm it will not adhere to the side of the cake.  Optional extra is adding chocolate shavings over to create a bird’s nest before placing the mini eggs in the centre.

Happy Easter everyone!
Gastrorob.