How to make chocolate cake

Points to remember

• Melt the chocolate and butter with the coffee in a heavy-based pan.
• Mix together the flour, bicarbonate of soda, light muscovado sugar, golden caster sugar and cocoa powder in a separate bowl. Break any lumps with your fingertips.
• Beat the eggs and stir in the buttermilk.
• Pour the chocolate and egg mixtures into the flour, stirring to a smooth consistency.
• Pour into your prepared tin and bake in a preheated oven.
• Chop the chocolate for the ganache.
• Heat the cream and sugar until nearly boiling and pour over the chopped chocolate.
• Cut the cake in half or thirds and lift the layer or layers off.
• Put the bottom layer on your serving dish and spoon on a little ganache over. Repeat with the next layer if you've cut your cake into thirds.
• Put the top layer on the cake and pour over the remaining ganache.
• Use a palette knife to smooth it over the surface.
• Decorate with chocolate curls.

TIPS