For 12 people
Ingredients
260g softened butter
260g caster sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
4 medium good quality eggs, lightly beaten
⅓ cup cocoa
1 cup of water
310g self-rising flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
Filling
150g of butter
225g chocolate (66%)
500 g plums, pitted and cut into pieces
1 tablespoon of sugar
ganache
120ml cream
150g dark chocolate (55%)
Method
Butter and line a 25 cm springform pan.
Preheat the oven to 160°C.
Work the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
Gradually add eggs, continuing to beat until well blended and light in texture.
Combine cocoa with boiling water and stir well making sure to remove all lumps.
Pour the cocoa mixture into the batter and mix well to combine.
Sift the dry ingredients and fold into the batter.
Pour into prepared pan and bake for 50-60 minutes or until knife comes out clean.
Cool in pan for 15 minutes before unmolding.
While the cake is cooling, you need to cook the plums to a thick pulp.
Add the plums with 1 tablespoon of sugar to a heavy-bottomed saucepan and cook over low heat until the juice from the plums begins to appear and the fruit becomes pulpy (5 minutes). Turn off the heat and let cool.
To make the filling: Melt 150 g of butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Coarsely chop the chocolate and add it to the butter and stir until smooth. Let cool.
Add the plums and stir.
To assemble the cake: Even at the top so it’s flat.
Cut the cake evenly in half, horizontally.
Spread the plum and chocolate mixture on one half and sandwich the other on top. Make sure the cake is even from top to bottom and sides
To make the ganache (icing): Heat the cream just to a boil. Remove from the heat and add the chocolate. Stir until smooth and shiny.
Place the cake on a cooling rack above a platter.
Pour over the ganache starting in the center of the cake. Let spread on the cake. Use a spatula to smooth the sides and even out the top.
Put the ganache in the fridge.
The cake will last up to 3-4 days.
