Ingredients
- 1¼ cups self-raising flour
- 4 tablespoons cocoa
- ¾ cup brown sugar
- ¼ cup pecans, chopped
- 2 eggs, separated
- ½ cup oil
- ½ cup milk
- ½ teaspoon imitation vanilla essence
- 2 tablespoons rum
- ½ cup cream, whipped
- 60 g cooking chocolate, chopped
- 15 g butter
Mock cream
- 125 g butter
- 1½ cups icing sugar
- few drops imitation vanilla essence
- 1 tablespoon milk
- 1 tablespoon cocoa
- 1 tablespoon water
Method
1. Preheat oven to 180°C. Brush two shallow 20 cm round cake tins with melted butter or oil, line base and sides with paper; grease paper.
2. Sift flour and cocoa into large mixer bowl. Stir in sugar and pecans.
3. Pour combined lightly beaten egg yolks, oil, milk and essence onto dry ingredients; beat on low speed for 2 minutes until just moistened.
4. Beat mixture on high speed for 5 minutes or until mixture is free of lumps and increased in volume.
5. Place egg whites in small, clean and dry mixer bowl. Beat until soft peaks form.
6. Using a metal spoon, fold egg whites into mixture quickly and lightly.
7. Pour mixture into prepared tins. Bake 30 minutes or until skewer comes out clean when inserted in centre of cakes. Stand cakes in tins 10 minutes before turning onto wire rack to cool.
8. Cut cakes in half horizontally; drizzle rum over each cut surface. Place first cake layer on a board. Spread cake evenly with cream. Continue layering with remaining cake and filling, ending with cake on top. Transfer to serving plate.
9. Combine chocolate and butter in a small pan. Stir constantly over low heat until chocolate melts; remove from heat. Spread chocolate evenly over cake, using a warm knife. Allow to set.
10. To make Mock Cream: Beat butter, sugar and essence with electric beaters in small mixer bowl until light and creamy. Gradually add milk, a teaspoon at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat until mixture is smooth and fluffy. Reserve half for decoration.
11. Combine cocoa and water in a small bowl to form a smooth paste. Beat into remaining mock cream. Spread evenly over cake using a spatula dipped in hot water. Pipe an edging around cake rim using the reserved mock cream.
