Rich 3 Layer Gateaux Chocolate Celebration Cake

 Decadent but worth it for a special celebration!

Ingredients

For the ganache:

• 270ml double cream
• 70g butter, cubed
• 3½ tbsp clear honey
• 270g dark chocolate, chopped

For the cake:

• 200g butter, plus extra for greasing
• 75g cocoa powder
• 200g caster sugar
• 175g light muscovado sugar
• 1 tbsp vanilla extract
• 3 large eggs
• 100ml soured cream
• 335g plain flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
• ½ tsp salt

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C, fan 160°C. Grease and line 3 x 20cm sandwich cake tins with baking paper. Make the ganache by putting the double cream into a large pan over a medium heat. Bring just to the boil, then remove from the heat.
2. Add the butter, honey and chocolate and leave for 2 mins to melt, then stir until smooth. Set aside to cool and thicken, then store in the fridge until needed.
3. Meanwhile, put the cocoa powder for the cakes into a bowl and whisk in 275ml boiling water until smooth. Set aside to cool slightly. In a separate bowl, beat together the butter, both sugars and vanilla extract until pale and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
4. Stir the soured cream into the cooled cocoa powder mixture. Mix together the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and salt in another bowl. Fold a third of the dry ingredients into the butter mixture, followed by a third of the cocoa mixture, continuing until everything is combined as a smooth batter.
5. Divide the batter between the 3 tins and smooth the surface of each. Bake for 25-30 mins or until risen and a skewer inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean. Cool for 10 mins in the tins, then turn out onto a wire rack and leave to cool completely.
6. To assemble, remove the ganache from the fridge – it should be thick enough to spread over the cakes, but if too stiff, stir briefly to loosen. Put one cake on a serving plate and spread over a quarter of the ganache. Top with the second cake and another quarter of the ganache. Finish with the third cake and spread the remaining ganache over the top and down the sides of the cake.
7. Top with strawberries, raspberries and drizzle with melted white chocolate. If refrigerating take out a good 6 hours before eating.

To bake ahead and freeze -  Make the cakes as above do not ice, then cool completely. Wrap well in baking paper and clingfilm and freeze for up to 3 months. Defrost thoroughly before icing. 

Eat on its own or as a pudding with cream or ice cream.

Enjoy!