Mary Berry's Chocolate Fudge Cake

Ingredients

Cake

• 62 1/2 grams sifted cocoa powder
• 100 milliliters boiling water
• 3 large eggs
• 50 milliliters milk
• 175 grams self-raising flour
• 1/2 Tablespoon baking powder
• 100 grams softened butter, plus extra for greasing
• 225 grams sugar

Icing

• 200 grams white chocolate
• 150 milliliters heavy cream
• 150 grams full-fat cream cheese
• 3 Tablespoons apricot jam

Directions

Heat the oven to 350° F. Grease and line two 8-inch deep cake pans with baking parchment.

For the chocolate cakes, blend the cocoa powder and boiling water in a large bowl. Add the remaining cake ingredients and beat until the mixture has become a smooth, thickish batter. Divide the cake mix between the prepared pans and level the surfaces.

Bake on a rack in the middle of the oven for 20-25 minutes, or until well-risen and the tops of the cakes spring back when lightly pressed with a finger. Leave to cool in the pans for a few minutes and then turn out onto a wire rack, peel off the parchment and leave to cool completely.

For the icing, break the white chocolate into pieces. Heat the cream in a pan until just hot enough to melt the chocolate. Drop the chocolate pieces into the cream and stir until they have all melted.

Remove from the heat and leave to cool completely. Beat the cream cheese in a bowl to soften it, then gradually beat in the cold chocolate cream mixture. You may need to set aside the mixture in the fridge for 15 minutes to thicken up.

Spread a layer of icing on one of the cakes and place the other on top. Warm the apricot jam in a small pan and brush it all over the stacked cakes. Using a palette knife, spread the remaining icing over the cakes to cover.