Dark chocolate Cake

• 500ml boiling water
• 450ml brown sugar
• 240ml vegetable oil
• 200g dark chocolate (70%), chopped
• 4 large eggs
• 325ml cake flour
• 115ml cocoa powder
• 5ml baking powder
• Pinch salt
• 10ml bicarbonate of soda
• 4 chocolate flakes for decorating
• Blueberries & Blackberries to decorate (optional)

Method

Preheat oven to 160c. Grease and line 3x 20cm round cake tins. Pour boiling water onto the sugar and stir until dissolved. Add oil and chocolate then stir until chocolate has completely melted and is smooth.

Whisk eggs lightly then stir into the chocolate mixture. Sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, salt and bicarb. Whisk dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until well combined.

Pour mixture into prepared cake tins then leave to stand at room temperature for 20 minutes. Bake in the preheated 160C oven for 30 minutes or until the sponge is cooked through (a skewer inserted should come out clean).

– Leave to cool in the tins for 5 minutes before turning out onto a rack and leaving to cool completely.

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Miso caramel

• 1 cup white sugar
• 1/4 cup water
• 1/2 cup fresh cream
• 2 Tbs white miso paste

Stir together sugar and water in a saucepan to dissolve, then bring to a boil over medium high heat. Simmer without stirring until the mixture turns an amber colour. Remove from the heat and whisk in the fresh cream, stirring until smooth. Stir in the miso then set aside to cool to room temperature and still pourable.

Swiss Meringue Buttercream

• 5 large egg whites 
• 1 cup castor sugar 
• Pinch of salt 
• 450g unsalted butter, room temperature cut into cubes
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Combine egg whites, sugar, and salt in a heatproof bowl then set over a pan of simmering water. Stir constantly by hand until mixture is warm to the touch and sugar has dissolved.

Transfer to an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Whisk until stiff peaks form and the bowl of the mixer is cool to the touch. With mixer on medium-low speed, add the butter a few cubes at a time, mixing well after each addition. Once all butter has been well incorporated, whisk in the vanilla.

Fold 2/3 of the miso Carmel into the buttercream (reserve the rest for decorating the cake)

To assemble cake

Sandwich the cake layers with even layers of miso caramel buttercream. Spread buttercream over the top layer, then drizzle with remaining miso caramel. 

Decorate cake with chocolate flakes and fruit.