Rich chocolate and rum cake recipe

This chocolate and rum cake is a seriously rich and fabulous bake for chocoholics, and has the added fun and flavour of a splash of Jamaican rum. 

The icing is one of the best bits of this bake. A creamy, luscious chocolate ganache that you spread through two internal layers and all over the top and sides. It looks glorious when you cut it open. For ease, we've baked the cake in one pan and cut into three layers once it has cooled. Be really careful when you cut into three - we've added some extra tips below to help you. If your cake has not risen as well as you'd hope, simply cut it in half and make it a two layer cake instead. It will still taste epically chocolatey and delicious. This makes a really great grown-up birthday cake to bring out at the end of a dinner or drinks party.

Ingredients

• 225g (8oz) butter, softened
• 300g (10oz) caster sugar
• 4 medium eggs, separated
• 175g (6oz) self-raising flour
• 25g (1oz) cocoa powder
• 50g (2oz) ground almonds
• 175g (6oz) good quality dark chocolate, melted

For the filling and icing:

• 500ml (18fl oz) double cream
• 300g (10oz) good quality dark chocolate, chopped
• 2 tbsp dark rum

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/gas mark 4. Grease and line a 23cm (9in) round spring-form cake tin.
2. In a large bowl, beat the softened butter with half the sugar until pale and light. Gradually beat in the egg yolks and fold in the flour, cocoa powder and ground almonds alternately with the melted chocolate. Whisk the egg whites until stiff, then gradually whisk in the remaining sugar. Fold the egg whites into the cake mixture and pour into the tin.
3. Bake for 1 hour and 10 mins or until the cake is well risen and springy to the touch. Leave to cool in the tin for 5 mins, then turn out on to a wire rack.
4. To make the filling and icing, heat the cream until boiling, remove the pan from the heat and whisk in the chopped chocolate and rum until the texture is smooth and glossy. Leave to cool until the mixture has thickened.
5. Cut the cake into three layers horizontally and use some of the chocolate mixture to sandwich the layers together. Spread the remainder of the chocolate on the top and sides of the cake and serve in slices.

Tips for making rich chocolate and rum cake:

While two tablespoons may not seem like a lot, avoid being too over enthusiastic with the rum. Too much could impact the structural integrity of the cake and make it sink in the middle, as well as increasing the strength of the flavour.

How do I cut the cake into three layers?

This is more complex than cutting a cake in half as the central layer will not have the structural integrity that the outer layers have. First level off the top of the cake if it's lopsided. It doesn't matter if it rises in the centre, but you don't want it leaning to one side. 

Measure the height of the cake and divide by three to work out how thick your layers will be. Try to make them even. If you can't, it's ok if the top layer is a little thiner than the others. Push toothpicks horizontally into the cake all around to mark where you are cutting the lowest layer. 

Use a long, sharp, un-serrated knife to slice, and allow the blade to rest on the toothpicks as you go. Remove the upper portion of the cake and repeat to make the three layers.

You might also like…

• Mary Berry's rum and raisin ice cream
• Dalgona coffee with rum
• Chocolate sponge cake