Jo Wheatley's ultimate chocolate cake recipe

Details

• Cuisine: British
• Recipe Type: Dessert
• Difficulty: Easy
• Preparation Time: 15 mins
• Cooking Time: 80 mins
• Serves: 10

Step-by-step

1. You will need a 20cm springform cake tin, buttered and the base lined with a disc of buttered baking parchment, and a wide ribbon.
2. Preheat the oven to 180ºC/350ºF/Gas Mark 4.
3. Beat the butter and caster sugar together until pale, light and fluffy: this is easiest using a freestanding mixer or an electric hand-held mixer. Add the beaten eggs a little at a time, beating well between each addition.
4. Sift both flours, the bicarbonate of soda and the cocoa into a large bowl. Add half the sifted dry ingredients to the butter-and-egg mixture and fold in using a large metal spoon.
5. In another bowl, mix together the sour cream and cream cheese until smooth and fold half into the cake mixture. Repeat this process with the remaining flour and sour cream and mix until smooth.
6. Fold the chopped white chocolate and spoon the cake batter into the prepared tin. Spread level using a palette knife.
7. Bake on the middle shelf of the preheated oven for about 1 hour or until a skewer inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean.
8. Leave the cake to cool in the tin for 10 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack.
9. Meanwhile, prepare your decoration. Make a chocolate ganache by bringing the cream to the boil in a pan. Remove from the heat, then add the chopped chocolates and stir until smooth and shiny.
10. Allow to cool completely.
11. Spread a thin layer of the ganache over the sides and top of the cake using a palette knife.
12. Stick the chocolate bars around the cake, with the smooth sides facing out. Wrap with a thick ribbon to keep the bars in place. Fill the centre of the cake with your favourite sweets, chocolate truffles or soft fruits.