Chocolate Sandwich Cake Recipe

100 g/4 oz/1 cup plain (all-purpose) flour

10 ml/2 teaspoons baking powder

A pinch of bicarbonate of soda (baking soda)

50 g/2 oz/½ cup cocoa (unsweetened chocolate) powder

225 g/8 oz/1 cup caster (superfine) sugar

120 ml/4 fl oz/½ cup corn oil

129 ml/4 fl oz/½ cup milk

150 ml/¼ pt double (heavy) cream

100 g/4 oz/1 cup plain (semi-sweet) chocolate

Method:

Mix together the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and cocoa. Stir in the sugar. Mix the oil and milk and blend into the dry ingredients until smooth. Spoon into two greased and lined 20 cm/8 in sandwich tins (pans) and bake in a preheated oven at 180ºC/350ºF/gas mark 3 for 40 minutes until springy to the touch. Turn out on to a wire rack to cool.

Whip the cream until stiff. Reserve 30 ml/2 tablespoons and use the rest to sandwich the cakes together. Melt the chocolate and reserved cream in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of gently simmering water. Spoon over the top of the cake and leave to set.