165 to 185gramsicing sugar, sifted (1 1/3 to 1 1/2 cups)
1/2teaspoontable salt, more if desired
Assembly
1Devil's Chocolate Cake
1Strawberry Jam, 2 if you are making a 3-layer cake
1Peanut Butter Frosting
Chopped peanuts, toasted and cooled completely
Melted chocolate, put into a small piping bag
INSTRUCTIONS
Devil's Chocolate Cake
Preheat oven to 175 degrees Celsius. Grease a 7-inch square tin with butter and line the bottom with parchment paper. Set aside.
In a large mixing bowl measure the unsalted butter, caster sugar and brown sugar. Sift in all-purpose flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Add in vanilla extract and milk. Using an electric mixer, mix the mixture on low for 1 minute, then turn the speed up to high and beat for 2 minutes.
Add in the 2 eggs and continue to beat on high for another minute.
Transfer the batter to the cake tin and bang the tin twice on the table counter to release excess air bubbles. Bake for 50 minutes to 1 hour until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Do tent the cake midway through baking if you found the top on the verge of getting burnt (I tented mine after 40 minutes).
Let the cake cool completely on the cake tin. Invert the cake out and split the cake into 2 or 3 layers, as desired.
Strawberry Jam
Toss strawberries and caster sugar in a large bowl and set aside in a cool place for 1 hour.
Transfer the strawberries and the juice to a medium pot. Turn the heat up to high and, stirring frequently, bring the strawberries to a rolling boil on high heat. Continue to stir and boil the strawberries until it is syrupy, skimming off the scum.
Remove from heat and stir in lemon or lime juice, adding more if desired. Let cool completely. Spoon out a couple of tablespoons of the strawberry syrup (without the strawberry bits) and set aside.
Peanut Butter Frosting
Cream butter and peanut butter in a large mixing bowl until mixed together. Add in the icing sugar and salt and beat until light, fluffy and creamy. Taste and add more icing sugar and/or salt if desired.
Assembly
For a 2-layer cake: Lay the first cake layer on a cake board and brush the top with reserved strawberry syrup. Plop 1/3 of the peanut butter frosting on top and spread it evenly. Spoon strawberry jam all over.
Brush one side of the second cake layer with strawberry syrup. Place the cake layer, syrup-side down. Brush the top with more strawberry syrup. Frost with remaining peanut butter frosting.
For a 3-layer cake: Do the same as the 2-layer cake, except to fill the cake with only 1/4 of the peanut butter frosting, and do remember to double the strawberry jam recipe!
Decorating: Coat the sides of the cake with toasted and cooled chopped peanuts or you can pipe decorations using reserved peanut butter frosting. Melt a little chocolate and pipe in a zig-zag pattern over the cake.