Chocolate Layer Cake

This is the chocolate cake we make when it has to be perfect. Hot coffee blooms the cocoa for a deeper flavour (you won’t taste the coffee), buttermilk keeps the crumb tender, and a simple ganache beats fussy buttercream every time.

Ingredients

• 250g plain flour; 75g cocoa powder; 400g sugar
• 2 tsp baking soda; 1 tsp salt
• 2 eggs; 240ml buttermilk; 120ml neutral oil
• 240ml hot strong coffee
• 200g dark chocolate; 200ml double cream (for ganache)
• Raspberries, to decorate (optional)

Instructions

1. Heat the oven to 175°C/350°F. Line two 20cm round tins.
2. Whisk the dry ingredients. Add eggs, buttermilk, and oil; beat smooth. Pour in the hot coffee — the batter will be thin, that’s correct.
3. Divide between tins and bake 30–35 minutes until a skewer comes out with moist crumbs. Cool completely.
4. For the ganache, pour hot cream over chopped chocolate, rest 2 minutes, then stir glossy. Cool to a spreadable thickness, then layer and coat the cake. Top with raspberries.

Club tip

Level the cake layers with a long serrated knife before stacking — flat layers stack straight and slice cleanly.