Mocha layer cake
<p>If you've after an all-stops-out, can't-resist chocolate cake, this mocha layer cake fits the bill admirably.</p>
<p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Serves:</span> </strong>12</p>
<p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Ingredients:</span></strong></p>
<p>Cake</p>
<ul>
<li>125g dark chocolate</li>
<li>3/4 cup boiling water</li>
<li>1/4 cup strong espresso coffee</li>
<li>1 teaspoon baking soda</li>
<li>250g unsalted butter</li>
<li>1 1/2 cups caster sugar</li>
<li>4 large eggs, separated</li>
<li>1 teaspoon vanilla extract</li>
<li>1 orange, finely grated zest</li>
<li>2 1/2 cups plain flour</li>
<li>1 teaspoon baking powder</li>
</ul>
<p>Icing:</p>
<ul>
<li>200g butter, softened</li>
<li>2 cups icing sugar</li>
<li>1 cup cocoa powder</li>
<li>2 tablespoons milk, heated</li>
<li>2 tablespoons hot espresso coffee</li>
<li>1/2 cup sour cream</li>
</ul>
<p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Method:</span></strong></p>
<p>Cake</p>
<ol>
<li>Heat oven to 180°C. Line two 20cm round cake tins with baking paper.</li>
<li>Break chocolate into pieces and place in a small bowl. Pour over boiling water and coffee and stir until smooth. Add baking soda. Leave to cool.</li>
<li>Beat butter and caster sugar until light and fluffy. Gradually beat in egg yolks.</li>
<li>Mix in vanilla, orange zest and cooled chocolate.</li>
<li>Sift flour and baking powder together and fold into chocolate mixture.</li>
<li>Beat egg whites until stiff and gently fold into mixture. Pour into tins and bake 50 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean.</li>
<li>Cool slightly before turning out onto racks to cool completely.</li>
</ol>
<p>Icing</p>
<ol>
<li>Whiz butter, icing sugar and cocoa in a food processor for a few seconds.</li>
<li>Add hot milk and espresso and process until combined.</li>
<li>Measure out 1/2 cup icing and combine with sour cream, mixing well.</li>
</ol>
<p>To assemble</p>
<ol>
<li>Cut each cake into two layers. Place a layer on a serving plate and spread with a third of the sour cream mixture. Top with another layer of cake and sour cream mixture and repeat until all layers are sandwiched together.</li>
<li>Cover cake completely with icing. </li>
</ol>
<p>Chocolate Curls:</p>
<p>Chocolate curls make a cake look truly professional and are quick and easy to make once you get the knack. Dark, milk or white chocolate can be used.</p>
<ol>
<li>Pour melted chocolate onto a marble slab (or other cool, smooth even surface).</li>
<li>Using a metal spatula, spread the chocolate to 2-3mm thickness and leave until set but not completely hard. Using a clean scraper held at about a 45-degree angle, push under the chocolate in a continuous motion away from you to form curls. (If the chocolate isn't firm enough it won't curl; if it's too firm, it will break into shards.) Curls can be used immediately or placed in a plastic container with a lid and stored in the refrigerator until needed.</li>
</ol>
<p>Are you a fan of chocolate cake? What’s your favourite cake?</p>
<p><em>Written by Bernadette Hogg. First appeared on <a href="http://www.stuff.co.nz/"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Stuff.co.nz</span></strong></a>. Image credit: Manja Wachsmuth / Stuff.co.nz.</em></p>
<p><em><strong>Have you ordered your copy of the Over60 cookbook, The Way Mum Made It, yet? Featuring 175 delicious tried-and-true recipes from you, the Over60 community, and your favourites that have appeared on the Over60 website, <a href="https://shop.abc.net.au/products/way-mum-made-it-pbk"><span style="text-decoration: underline;">head to the abcshop.com.au to order your copy now</span></a>.</strong></em></p>
<p><strong>Related links:</strong></p>
<p><a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/lifestyle/food-wine/2016/11/caramel-and-chocolate-marble-loaf/"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><strong>Caramel and chocolate marble loaf</strong></em></span></a></p>
<p><a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/lifestyle/food-wine/2016/12/warm-spanish-doughnuts/"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><strong>Warm Spanish doughnuts</strong></em></span></a></p>
<p><a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/news/news/2016/11/adults-only-cheesecake-people-are-going-crazy-for/"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><strong>Adults-only cheesecake people are going crazy for</strong></em></span></a></p>
