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Ingredients
- 300g plain flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp salt
- 2 eggs
- 400g caster sugar
- 200ml milk
- 110ml vegetable oil
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 80g cocoa powder
- 160ml brewed coffee
- For the ganache:
- 410ml cream
- 2 tbsp whiskey (optional)
- 2 tbsp honey
- 420g dark chocolate
- 2 tbsp chopped smoked almonds
- Preheat the oven to 190 degrees. Prepare two 8-inch (20cm) springform pans by buttering and lining them with parchment paper. In a mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Set this dry mixture aside.
- In another bowl, whisk together the eggs, sugar, milk, vegetable oil and vanilla until well combined. In a small bowl, mix the cocoa powder and coffee, then add this mixture to the egg mixture. Gradually incorporate the dry ingredients into the wet mixture, stirring until you have a smooth batter. Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the centre of the cakes comes out clean. Allow the cakes to cool completely before removing them from the pans.
- For the ganache: In a saucepan, heat the cream, whiskey and honey until it comes to a boil. Pour the hot cream mixture over the chocolate in a bowl and let it sit for two minutes to melt the chocolate. Stir the mixture until the ganache is smooth. Refrigerate the ganache for about two hours, or until it thickens to a spreadable consistency, stirring intermittently.
- Trim the rounded tops off each cake to make them even. Cut each cake horizontally into two equal slices, giving you a total of four slices. Spread the ganache evenly over the surface of each cake slice. Layer the four slices on top of each other and place them on a cake stand. Garnish the cake with chopped smoked almonds.
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