Easy chocolate cake

Ingredients For the cake 225g/8oz plain flour 350g/12½oz caster sugar 85g/3oz cocoa powder 1½ tsp baking powder 1½ tsp bicarbonate of soda 2 free-range eggs 250ml/9fl oz milk 125ml/4½fl oz vegetable oil 2 tsp vanilla extract

250ml/9fl oz boiling water

For the chocolate icing
200g/7oz plain chocolate
200ml/7fl oz double cream

Preparation method
Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4. Grease and line two 20cm/8in sandwich tins.
Technique: Greasing and lining cake tins
Greasing and lining cake tinsWatch technique0:33 mins
For the cake, place all of the cake ingredients, except the boiling water, into a large mixing bowl. Using a wooden spoon, or electric whisk, beat the mixture until smooth and well combined.
Add the boiling water to the mixture, a little at a time, until smooth. (The cake mixture will now be very liquid.)
Divide the cake batter between the sandwich tins and bake in the oven for 25-35 minutes, or until the top is firm to the touch and a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean.
Remove the cakes from the oven and allow to cool completely, still in their tins, before icing.
For the chocolate icing, heat the chocolate and cream in a saucepan over a low heat until the chocolate melts. Remove the pan from the heat and whisk the mixture until smooth, glossy and thickened. Set aside to cool for 1-2 hours, or until thick enough to spread over the cake.
To assemble the cake, run a round-bladed knife around the inside of the cake tins to loosen the cakes. Carefully remove the cakes from the tins.
Technique: Removing cakes from a cake tin
Removing cakes from a cake tinWatch technique0:32 mins
Spread a little chocolate icing over the top of one of the chocolate cakes, then carefully top with the other cake.
Transfer the cake to a serving plate and ice the cake all over with the chocolate icing, using a palette knife.
Technique: Icing a cake with chocolate ganache