This is a dense, moist chocolate cake that can be eaten as a teatime cake or as an indulgent dessert when served with whipped cream or ice-cream.

Ingredients: (Serves 9)

• 250 g/9 oz unsalted butter
• 175 g/6 oz plain chocolate, broken into pieces
• 340 g/12 oz light brown sugar
• 300 ml/10 fl oz hot water
• 1 tablespoon instant coffee
• 200 g/7 oz plain flour
• 55 g/2 oz self-raising flour
• 55 g/2 oz cocoa powder
• 2 eggs, beaten
• Icing sugar, to dust

Method:

Preheat the oven to 160ºC/325ºF/Gas mark 3. Grease a 23-cm/9-inch square cake tin and line with parchment paper. Place the butter, chocolate, sugar, water and coffee in a bowl over a pan of simmering water and heat until melted. Stir until the mixture is smooth, then cool for 15 minutes.

Transfer the cooled chocolate mixture to a bowl, sift in the flour and cocoa and stir in the eggs. Using an electric whisk, beat until smooth. Pour the batter into the cake tin and bake for 1 to 1¼ hours.

Remove the tin from the oven and cool for 10 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Dust with icing sugar and slice to serve. Store in an airtight container for up to 5 days.