Ingredients
- 200g caster sugar
- 200g unsalted butter
- A little extra butter to grease baking tins
- 4 large eggs
- 200g self-raising flour
- 2.5 tbsp cocoa powder
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- 2 tbsp milk
Buttercream Ingredients
- 100g milk chocolate, broken into small pieces
- 200g butter, softened
- 400g icing sugar
- 5 tbsp cocoa powder
- 2 tbsp milk
Method
- Heat oven to 190C/170C fan/gas 5.
- Grease the base and sides of two 20cm round baking tins with butter and line the bases with baking parchment.
- In a large bowl, beat together 200g caster sugar, 200g softened unsalted butter, 4 large eggs, 200g self-raising flour, 2.5 tbsp cocoa powder, 1 tsp baking powder, ½ tsp vanilla extract, 2 tbsp milk and a pinch of salt until pale.
- Divide the mixture between the greased baking tins.
- Bake for 20 mins or until a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean.
- Leave to cool in the tin for 10 mins, then turn out onto a wire rack and set aside to cool completely.
- For the buttercream, put 100g broken milk chocolate in a heatproof bowl and melt in the microwave, stirring every 30 secs then leave the melted chocolate to cool for 5 mins.
- Mix 200g softened butter and 400g icing sugar together with an electric beater or a whisk.
- Sift in 5 tbsp cocoa powder with a pinch of salt and pour in the melted chocolate and 2 tbsp milk. Mix again until smooth.
- Sandwich the cakes together with half of the buttercream, then spread the rest on top and around the sides.
