Annabel Langbein Ultimate Chocolate Cake

3 cups self-raising flour
2 cups sugar
1½ tsp vanilla extract
¾ cup cocoa powder
2 tsp baking soda, sifted
200g butter, softened
1 cup milk or unsweetened yoghurt
3 large eggs
1 cup boiling hot coffee

Icing:Chocolate Ganache

Fill with whipped cream

Heat oven to 160°C. Grease the sides and line the base of a 30cm round cake tin or 2 x 20cm round cake tins with baking paper.

Place all ingredients in a bowl or food processor and mix or blitz until the ingredients are combined and the butter is fully incorporated. Pour mixture into prepared tin or tins and smooth top. Bake for 1 hour or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Allow to cool in the tin. If not using at once, the cake will keep for about a week in a sealed container in the fridge. You can also freeze it uniced.

Cover cake with chocolate Ganache and fill with whipped cream

Variation:

To make chocolate cupcakes using this recipe, preheat oven to 160°C and line 24 muffin pans with paper cases. Prepare cake batter according to the instructions for The Ultimate Chocolate Cake (see above). Spoon mixture into the paper cases, filling about two thirds full. Bake for 25-30 minutes. Cool before icing. For icing, beat 200g firm cream cheese with 100g softened butter until smooth. Gradually beat in 2 cups icing sugar until smooth and creamy. Add a few drops of food colouring to get the desired colour. Icing can be stored in the fridge in a sealed container for up to a week. Pipe onto the cakes and top with confectionery sprinkles. Makes 24.