CHOCOLATE FUDGE CAKE

Steps:

• Grease and base line two 18cm sandwich tins. Heat the oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4. Cream the butter and sugar in a bowl and sift in the dry ingredients. Mix lightly.
• Place the sour cream, syrup and vanilla extract in a bowl. Beat the eggs lightly and gradually whisk in to the sour cream, a little at a time. When combined beat in to the cake mix.
• Divide between the tins and bake for 20-25mins. Cool in the tins and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
• Meanwhile for the ganache: In a bowl stir the jam until runny and then break the chocolate in to the same bowl. Heat the cream until hot but not boiling and pour over the chocolate and jam. Leave for 5minutes then stir continuously until the chocolate has melted. Leave to cool and then place in the fridge until firm.
• For the buttercream first melt the chocolate (broken in to pieces) in a bowl over a pan of simmering water. Do not let the bottom of the bowl touch the water. In a separate bowl mix the butter, icing sugar and vanilla extract and then stir in the melted chocolate until smooth.
• Use the buttercream to sandwich the cakes together and spread the ganache over the top and sides.