Ingredients:
* 6 Eggs
* 1¼ tsp Salt
* 115 gms Plain Flour
* 1 tsp Baking powder
* 2 tsp Vanilla Essence
* 225 gms Castor Sugar
* 55 gms Cocoa powder
* 115 gms Unsalted Butter
For the Icing
* 3 Eggs, separated
* 3 tbsp Castor Sugar
* 85 gms Unsalted Butter
* 250 ml Whipping cream
* 225 gms Plain Chocolate, chopped
Method:
1. Preheat a 350 degrees F/ 180 degrees C/Gas 4 oven. Line 3.8 x 1 ½m (20 x 3 cm) round tins with greaseproof paper and grease.
2. Dust evenly with flour and spread with a brush. Set aside.
3. Melt the butter over a low heat. With a spoon, skin off any foam that rises to the surface. Set aside.
4. Sift the float, cocoa, baking powder and salt together 3 times and set aside.
5. Place the eggs and sugar in a large heatproof bowl set over a pan of hot water. With an electric mixer, heat until the mixture doubles in volume and is thick enough to leave a ribbon trail when the beaters are lifted, about 10 minutes. Add the vanilla.
6. Sift over the dry ingredients in 3 batches, folding in carefully, after each addition. Fold in the butter.
7. Divide the mixture between the tins and bake until the cakes pull away from the sides of the tin, about 25 minutes. Transfer in a rack.
8. For the icing, melt the chopped chocolate in the top of a double boiler, or in a heatproof bowl set over hot water.
9. Off the heat, stir in the butter and egg yolks. Return to a low heat and stir until thick. Remove from the heat and set aside.
10. Whip the cream until firm, set aside. In another bowl, heat the egg whites untill stiff. Add thw sugar and heat until glosssy.
11. Fold the cream into the chocolate mixture, then carefully fold in the egg whites. Refrugerate for 20 minutes to thicken the icing.
Tip: Prevent sharp edges on muffins, bar cookies or quick breads by greasing the muffin cups or pans only on the bottom and halfway up the sides so the batter is higher than the greaseline.
