Chocolate Cake With Mocha Frosting

Ingredients:

140g dark chocolate, chopped

20g cocoa powder

1 cup boiling water

300g plain flour

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

230g butter, room temperature

350g caster sugar

3 eggs (lightly beaten)

2 tsp vanilla extract

1 cup milk, room temperature

• Preheat oven at 170 degrees C.
• Grease and line two 9" round cake tins.
• Place chopped dark chocolate pieces and cocoa powder in a bowl.  Pour boiling water into it and stir until melted.  Set aside to cool.
• Sift flour, baking powder and baking soda into a bowl and whisk until combine.
• In a separate bowl, beat butter until smooth and creamy.  Gradually add sugar and beat until light and fluffy.
• Add in eggs a little at a time and beat well after each addition (on Low speed).  Then add in vanilla extract and melted chocolate mixture.  Beat until just combined.
• With a rubber spatula fold in flour mixture and milk alternately, beginning and ending with flour.  Do not over mix.
• Divide batter evenly between the two tins.  Smooth the tops.
• Bake for about 40 minutes or until done (when a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean).
• Remove cakes from oven and cool on a wire rack for about 10 minutes.  Then remove the cakes from the tins and let cool completely before frosting.

Frosting:

60g dark chocolate, chopped

1 tbsp coffee granules

1 1/2 cup chilled whipping cream

160g icing sugar, sifted

250g mascarpone cheese (or cream cheese)

• Place chocolate pieces, coffee granules and icing sugar in a mixing bowl.   Heat 1/2 cup of cream in the microwave oven and pour over the chocolate mixture.  Stir until sugar dissolved.   Chill at least 2 hours.
• Add mascarpone cheese into the chocolate mixture and beat on Low speed until blended and smooth.  Increase to Medium speed and beat until thick.

To assemble the cake:

• Place a layer of cake with the top side down on a plate and spread a layer of frosting over it.  
• Then place the second layer of cake (also with the top side down) on top of the frosting.  
• Spread the rest of the frosting over the top and side of the cake.