Ingredients

• 200g dark chocolate, chopped
• 200g plain flour
• 2 tbs cocoa powder
• 1 tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 225g unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup (220g) caster sugar
• 4 eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Rich chocolate icing:

• ½ cup (125ml) milk
• 250g dark chocolate, chopped
• 400g unsalted butter, softened
• 2 1/3 cups (350g) icing sugar, sifted

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 160°C. Grease and line a 23cm springform cake pan with baking paper. Place the chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of gently simmering water (don’t let the bowl touch the water), stirring until melted and smooth. Set aside to cool.
2. Sift flour, cocoa, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and a pinch of salt into a bowl. Set aside.
3. Place the butter and caster sugar in a separate bowl and beat with electric beaters until thick and pale. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Add cooled chocolate and vanilla  and beat well to combine. Fold in the flour mixture, then add the milk and gently stir to combine.
4. Spread the batter into the cake pan and bake for 45–50 minutes until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
5. For the icing, place the chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of gently simmering water (don’t let the bowl touch the water), stirring until melted and smooth, then cool. Place butter and sifted icing sugar in a separate bowl and beat with electric beaters for 6-8 minutes until very thick and pale. Carefully fold in the  cooled chocolate. Spread the icing over the cooled cake and serve. Serves 8-10.

From the book delicious. Celebrate by Valli Little. Reproduced with the permission of delicious magazine and ABC Books.