Gok’s Gorgeous Gooey Gateaux

Gok Wan loves nothing better than a gorgeous gooey triple chocolate cake, with extra chocolate sprinkles! Follow this recipe for your own Gok-tastic cake…

This cake comes in three stages – the cake layers, the filling to sandwich the layers together, and finally the icing to spread over the finished product. And then of course the all-important chocolate sprinkles!

Cake Layers

Ingredients

110g very dark chocolate—70% cocoa at least OR substitute 9 tablespoons of unsweetened cocoa and 3 tablespoons of vegetable oil
280g granulated sugar, divided
115 ml water
150g plain flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
110g butter or margarine
3 eggs
185 ml milk
1 tsp. vanilla

Instructions

Preheat oven to 180 C.

Place the chocolate, 110 grams of the sugar and the water in heavy sauce-pan and place on very low heat. Stir until chocolate is completely melted. Cool until it is just-warm.
Mix the flour, baking soda and salt; set aside.
Beat the butter and the remaining sugar in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy.
Add the eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition.
Add the flour mixture alternately with the milk, beating until well blended after each addition.
Add the chocolate mixture and vanilla; mix well.
Pour into 2 greased and floured, or lined with parchment paper, 9-inch or 25cmround cake tins.
Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean.
Cool in the tins 10 minutes, then remove from the cake tins to wire racks. Cool completely.

Filling

Use to fill between the cake layers.

Ingredients

110g very dark chocolate, at least 70% cocoa
55g softened butter or margarine.
360g icing sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
110 ml milk.

Instructions

Melt the chocolate, stirring constantly, set aside. (You can also melt the chocolate in the microwave. Place in a microwave-able bowl, for approximately 15 seconds, or until it is soft. Then stir through to ensure it has melted).

Beat the butter in large bowl till creamy; gradually add about half the sugar, beating well. Add the chocolate and vanilla and mix well.
Add the rest of the sugar alternately with the milk, beating until well blended and of a spreadable consistency.
Spread on the top of one of the cooled cakes, then place the second layer of cake on top, top side up.
Allow to firm up before adding the icing (see next stage).

Chocolate Icing

Ingredients

150g dark chocolate
142ml pot double cream

Instructions

Break up the chocolate, then add the double cream, and place in a saucepan over a very low heat until it melts together.
Remove from heat, and allow to cool to a temperature where it is of a spreading consistency.
Pour and spread over the cake, scooping up drips to fill spaces.

To finish your Gok-tastic chocolate cake, add lots and lots of chocolate sprinkles. Gorgeous.