Salted caramel chocolate cake

Method

• step 1

  Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Oil two 20cm cake tins and line the bases with baking paper. Whisk together the oil, sugar and eggs in a large bowl until combined. Sift in the flour, cocoa and bicarb, and whisk until smooth. Stir in the cream – it will loosen the batter quite a lot. Divide the batter between the tins and bake for 30-35 mins or until risen and the sponges spring back when gently pressed. Leave to cool on a wire rack.

• step 2

  To make the caramel sauce, melt the sugar in a dry pan until golden, swirling the pan a few times so it melts evenly. Slowly and carefully stir in the cream (it will bubble when added) to prevent the sugar from seizing up and turning the caramel lumpy. Whisk in the butter and salt, then bubble for 1-2 mins or until the caramel is smooth and creamy. Scrape into a bowl, cover and leave to cool.

• step 3

  For the icing, melt the chocolate in a heatproof bowl over a pan of simmering water (ensuring the bowl doesn’t touch the water) or in short bursts in the microwave. Leave to cool to room temperature. Beat together the sugar and butter using an electric whisk until very pale and fluffy, then beat in the cooled chocolate. Chill for 5 mins if it’s very soft or keep at room temperature until ready to use.

• step 4

  Put one of the sponges on a cake stand. Spread over half the icing. Stir the caramel to loosen (or warm in the microwave for a few seconds if it’s very stiff), then spoon over the top and spread to the edges. Sandwich with the second sponge, then spread the remaining icing over the top, creating swoops and dips using the back of a spoon. The cake will keep in an airtight container in a cool place for three days.