Christmas Chocolate Cake

• unsalted butter↗200g g

  cut into cubes, plus extra for pans

• dark chocolate↗200g g

  chopped

• soft light brown sugar↗200g g
• eggs↗4
• plain flour↗250g g
• cocoa powder↗50g g
• baking powder↗1 tbsp tbsp
• baking soda↗1 tsp tsp
• fine sea salt½ tsp tsp
• ground ginger↗1 tsp tsp
• ground cinnamon↗1 tsp tsp
• nutmeg↗½

  finely grated

• milk tbsp
• unsalted butter↗200g g

  softened

• icing sugar↗500g g
• паста з ванільних бобів↗1 tsp
• мелений імбир↗½ tsp
• мелена кориця↗½ tsp
• мускатний горіх↗¼

  дрібно натерений

Step-by-step instructions

1. 1

   Preheat the oven to 180 °C/160 °C with convection/gas 4. Grease two 20 cm round springform pans and line them with parchment. In a saucepan over low heat melt butter, chocolate and sugar, stirring until fully melted. Remove from heat, let cool slightly, then add the eggs one at a time, whisking well between each. Fold in flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, salt and spices. If the batter is too thick, thin it with up to 3 tbsp milk, adding gradually until the batter lifts easily from a spoon but is not runny. Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans and bake 25‑30 min until risen and a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean. Cool in the pans 5 min, then turn out onto a rack to cool completely.

2. 2

   For the buttercream, beat the butter with an electric mixer until very soft. Add the icing sugar in batches, beating well between additions until you have a light, fluffy buttercream. Beat in the vanilla.

3. 3

   Place one layer on a plate or cake stand and spread a thick layer of buttercream on top. Place the second layer and repeat with additional buttercream. Spread the remaining buttercream around the sides of the cake, scraping a little to create a “naked” effect.

4. 4

   For decoration, mix ground ginger, ground cinnamon and nutmeg, then sift through a fine sieve. Dust the top of the cake, or use two strips of parchment paper as a template and dust a neat stripe on the surface. Cut into serving portions. Keep refrigerated for up to three days.