Ingredients
Method
- Mix cocoa with boiling water to a paste. Cool 5 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 180°C / 160°C fan / Gas 4. Grease and line three 20cm sandwich tins.
- Beat butter and sugar 4–5 minutes until pale and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time. Beat in vanilla and cocoa paste. Sift in flour and baking powder, add milk, fold gently.
- Divide equally between tins — weigh for even layers. Bake 22–26 minutes until a skewer comes out clean. Cool completely.
- Pour hot cream and golden syrup over chopped chocolate. Stand 2 minutes. Stir from centre until smooth. Add butter. Stir until incorporated. Cool at room temperature 30–45 minutes until spreadable.
- Layer sponges with ganache between each. Pour remaining ganache over top — let it flow down the sides. Decorate. Set 30 minutes before slicing.
Notes
Always bloom cocoa in boiling water — this is the key to deep chocolate flavour.
Weigh batter between tins for three perfectly equal layers.
Cool ganache at room temperature — never refrigerate to speed up.
Pour ganache generously and let it flow — do not try to achieve a perfect smooth coating.
Unfrosted sponge layers freeze for up to 3 months.
Assembled cake stores at room temperature for up to 3 days.
