The Perfect Chocolate Cake

50g dark chocolate, melted and allowed to cool slightly

250g butter, at room temperature
250g light muscovado sugar
tsp salt
100g cocoa powder
250g plain flour
2 tsp baking powder
3 large eggs
250ml milk
50g chocolate chips
For the buttercream:
140g butter, softened
50g cocoa powder
200g icing sugar
Pinch of salt
2 tbsp milk
5 Oreo cookies
1. Grease and line the bases of 2 x 20cm springform cake tins with greaseproof paper. Preheat
the oven to 180C (160C fan) 350F / gas 4. Cream together the butter and sugar with tsp salt
until light and fluffy.

2. Sift together the cocoa, flour and baking powder. Add the eggs to the butter mixture one at
a time and beat until well combined, then fold in half the dry ingredients followed by the
melted chocolate. Fold in the rest, followed by enough milk to give a soft dropping
consistency, and then the chocolate chips. Divide between the two tins and bake for about 25
30 minutes until firm in the centre.

3. Allow to cool completely on a rack, then make the buttercream. Beat the butter until fluffy,
then add the cocoa, icing sugar and salt and, if necessary, a little milk to loosen the mixture.
Put one of the cakes on a serving plate and spread a third of the icing on top. Place the second
on top, then spread the rest of the icing over it.

4. Blitz the biscuits to a fine crumb in a food processor and sprinkle them over the cake.