SPRING FORM CAKE TIN RECIPES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4. Butter a 20-25cm cake tin and line with greaseproof paper.
• Place 175g/6oz of the chocolate, plus the butter and sugar in a heavy-based pan and heat gently until melted, stirring occasionally. Leave to cool.
• Whisk the egg yolks into the chocolate mixture, then add the flour, nuts and the remaining chocolate.
• Whisk the egg whites until they form soft peaks, then gently, but thoroughly, fold into the chocolate mixture.
• Pour into the prepared tin and bake in the centre of the oven for about 35-40 mins until crusty on top. Leave to cool, then run a knife around the sides and remove from the tin. Dust with icing sugar and serve warm with custard or ice cream or cold with cream.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter two 8-by-2-inch round cake pans; dust with flour, tapping out excess. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Whisk in eggs, buttermilk, water, vanilla, and oil.
• Divide batter evenly between prepared pans. Bake until tops spring back when lightly pressed, about 30 minutes. Transfer pans to a wire rack; let cool 15 minutes. Invert cakes onto rack, remove parchment, then turn top-side up (to prevent sticky tops from sticking to rack); let cool completely.
• Spread 1 1/2 cups frosting over top of one cooled cake layer. Top with remaining layer. Spread a thin coat (about 1 cup) of frosting over top and sides of cake to create a “crumb coat.” Refrigerate about 20 minutes, then frost top and sides of cake with remaining frosting. (For a more refined look, trim domed top of cake flat before layering and frosting.)