- Pre-heat the oven to 180C/160C Fan/Gas 4.
- Grease 2 x 20cm sandwich tins with oil and line the bases with baking paper.
- Sift the flour, coco and bicarbonate of soda into a large bowl. Add the caster sugar and stir to mix.
- In another bowl, gently whisk together the eggs, 225ml oil, milk, syrup and vanilla until blended.
- Make a well in the middle of the dry ingredients and pour in the liquid mixture, using a spatula to scrape out the bowl. Whisk until smooth.
- Divide between the tins and bake for 30 minutes until the top springs back when lightly pressed. Leave in the tins for 5 minutes, then turn out onto wire racks and leave until cold.
- While the cakes are baking, make the ganache, as it needs plenty of time to cool. Gently heat the double cream, sugar and vanilla until almost simmering, stirring occasionally.
- Pour onto the whisky chocolate and stir until completely melted.
Leave until cold and starting to thicken. You can cool it in the fridge for a short while, but don’t let it get too hard. If it does harden up, soften it by leaving in the warm kitchen. Or put it in a bowl over a pan of simmering water, but watch carefully and stir constantly. - Sandwich the cakes together with the ganache, then use to cover the top and sides.
Whisky Chocolate Gateau
Beat January blues with this yummy comfort food.
Ingredients
- 225ml sunflower oil, plus extra for greasing
- 250g self-raising flour
- 4 level tbsp coco powder
- 1 1/2 level tsp bicarbonate of soda
- 225g caster sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 225ml semi-skimmed milk
- 3 tbsp Whisky syrup
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 2tblsp whisky chocolate
- 300ml double cream
- 25g caster sugar
- 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 100g chocolate