Chocolate Layer Cake Recipe

75 g/3 oz/¾ cup plain (semi-sweet) chocolate

175 g/6 oz/¾ cup butter or margarine, softened

175 g/6 oz/¾ cup caster (superfine) sugar

3 eggs, lightly beaten

150 g/5 oz/1¼ cups self-raising (self-rising) flour

25 g/1 oz/¼ cup cocoa (unsweetened chocolate) powder

For the icing (frosting):

175 g/6 oz/1 cup icing (confectioners') sugar

50 g/2 oz/½ cup cocoa (unsweetened chocolate) powder

175 g/6 oz/¾ cup butter or margarine, softened

Grated chocolate to decorate

Method:

Melt the chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of gently simmering water. Leave to cool slightly. Beat together the butter or margarine and sugar until light and fluffy. Gradually beat in the eggs, then fold in the flour and cocoa and the melted chocolate.

Spoon the mixture into a greased and lined 20 cm/8 in cake tin (pan) and bake in a preheated oven at 180ºC/350ºF/gas mark 4 for 1¼ hours until springy to the touch. Leave to cool.

To make the icing, beat together the icing sugar, cocoa and butter or margarine until you have a spreadable icing. When the cake is cold, slice horizontally into three and use two-thirds of the icing to sandwich the three layers together. Spread the remaining icing on the top, mark into a pattern with a fork, and decorate with grated chocolate.