This took around two hours to make, including cooling time. I thought that wasn’t too bad, I had plenty of time to run around and do my thing.

First things first, take out three eggs and two sticks of butter (225g) so they get to room temperature by the time you need them.

Ingredients for cake:

• 2 large eggs, at room temp.
• 1 3/4 cup all purpose flour
• 2 cups sugar
• 3/4 cups good cocoa powder
• 2 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 cup buttermilk, shaken
• 1/2 cup vege oil
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 cup hot black coffee

Ingredients for buttercream icing:

• 6 ounces (170g) semi-sweet chocolate, either in chips or broken up
• 2 sticks (225g) unsalted butter at room temp
• 1 large yolk, at room temp
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 1/4 cups sifted icing sugar

1. Butter and flour the inside of your two 8 inch cake tins. Line the bottom with baking paper and preheat the oven to 350 F (175 C).
2. Sift the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, sugar and cocoa into a mixer bowl and mix quickly with a wooden spoon for 30 seconds.
3. In a medium bowl pour the buttermilk, oil, eggs and vanilla.
4. Using a mixer on slow, add the wet ingredients into the dry. Add the coffee and stir just to combine. It’ll have a runny consistency, don’t freak out.
5. Scrape the bottom of the bowl with a spatula and pour the batter evenly into the two cake tins. Bake for 40 mins or until a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean. Cool in the pan for 30 mins then turn it onto a wire rack. Make the frosting during this time.
6. For the frosting: Put the chocolate into a glass bowl and blast it in the microwave for 15 second intervals. Mix thoroughly after each blast, otherwise the chocolate will burn. Once it’s melted, set it aside so it reaches room temp. Boy, we’re loving things at room temperature, aren’t we?
7. Using the mixer, beat the butter on medium speed until it becomes lighter in colour, should take around 3 mins. Add the egg yolk and keep on a-mixing for another 3 mins.
8. Turn the mixer to low and add the sifted icing sugar in four intervals. Scrape down the side of the bowl occasionally. Add the chocolate on the mixer’s lowest speed and when just combined, start spreading it on the cooled cake immediately.

Adapted from a wonderful Ina Garten recipe.