A Nigella Lawson favourite!
| For the cake: 400g plain flour 250g golden caster sugar 100g light muscovado sugar 50g best quality cocoa powder 2 teaspoons baking powder 1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda 1/2 teaspoon salt 3 eggs 142ml/small tub sour cream 1 tablespoon vanilla extract 175g unsalted butter, melted & cooled 125ml corn oil 300ml chilled water |
For
the fudge icing: 175g dark chocolate, minimum 70% cocoa solids 250g unsalted butter, softened 275g icing sugar, sifted 1 tablespoon vanilla extract |
Preheat the oven to 180 degrees C or gas mark 4.
Butter and line the bottom of two 20cm sandwich tins (or three tins if smaller). In a large bowl, mix together the flour, sugars, cocoa, baking powder, bicarb and salt. In another bowl or measuring jug whisk together the eggs, sour cream and vanilla until blended. Using an electric mixer, beat together the melted butter and corn oil until just blended, then beat in the water. Add the dry ingredients all at once and mix everything together on a slow speed. Add the egg mixture, and mix again until everything is blended and then pour into the prepared tins.
Bake for 50-55 minutes, or until a cake tester comes out clean. Cool the cakes in their tins on a wire rack for 15 minutes and then turn the cakes out onto the rack to cool completely.
Icing
Melt the chocolate in the microwave (carefully!) or over a pan of hot water and cool slightly. In another bowl beat the butter until it is soft and creamy, then add the sieved icing sugar and beat again until the icing is light and fluffy. Add the chocolate and vanilla and mix everything together until glossy and smooth.
Sandwich the middle of the cake with about a quarter of the icing, and then ice the top and sides, speading and smoothing with a knife or spatula.