Cakes Recipes - Chocolate Frosted Layer Cake

Ingredients

•  225g/.1 cup butter or margarine, at room temperature

• 285g/1 1/2 cups sugar

• 4 eggs, separated

• 10ml/2 tsp vanilla essence

• 385g/3 1/2 cups plain flour

• 10ml/2 tsp baking powder

• 1.5ml/1/4 tsp salt

• 250ml/1 cup milk

FOR THE FROSTING

• 150g/5oz plain chocolate

• 120ml/1/2 cup soured cram

• 1.5ml/1/4 tsp salt

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Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4. Line two 20cm/8in round cake tins with greaseproof paper and grease the paper. Dust the tins with flour. Tap to remove any excess.

2. Cream the butter or margarine until soft. Gradually add the sugar and beat until light and fluffy. Beat the egg yolks, then add to the butter mixture with the vanilla.

3. Sift the flour with the baking powder three times. Set aside. Beat the egg whites with the salt until they peak stiffly.

4. Fold the dry ingredients into the butter mixture in three batches, alternating with the milk. Add a dollop of the egg white and fold in to lighten the mixture. Fold in the rest until just blended.

5. Spoon into the cake tins and bake until the cakes pull away from the sides, about 30 minutes. Leave in the tins for 5 minutes, then turn out on to a wire rack.

6. For the frosting, melt the chocolate in the top of a double boiler. When cool, stir in the soured cream and salt. Sandwich the layers with frosting, then spread on the top and side.