Instructions

• Prep Stage:
• 01 Butter and line two x 20cm deep cake tins (preferably loose bottomed) with baking parchment.
• Stage ONE:
• 02 In a jug mix the cola and dark brown sugar until dissolved. Leave to one side.
• Stage TWO:
• 03 In a large bowl beat softened butter and caster sugar for 3-4 minutes until pale and light in texture. Sift in the cocoa powder and beat again to form a chocolate paste.
• Step THREE:
• 04 In a jug, add all the eggs and beat with buttermilk until smooth. Now add slowly to the chocolate paste beating well.
• Step FOUR:
• 05 Sift the flour with the bicarbonate of soda over the chocolate paste, beat well and now add the cola sugar mix. Beat the batter well.
• Bake:
• 06 Divide the cake batter between the two prepared cake tins and bake 25-35 minutes. Cook in the tin before turning out on a cooling wire wrack.
• Make chocolate icing:
• 07 Place the chocolate pieces into a mixing bowl. Heat the cola, water, butter and sugar in a small pan until the butter is melted and the mixture starts to boil. Remove from the heat and pour over the chocolate pieces. Leave to sit a few minutes before whisking altogether until smooth and glossy. Cover the bowl with cling film, place in the fridge to chill until thick and ready to use as a spreadable icing. This could take at least an hour or so.
• Assemble:
• 08 Using a sharp bread knife divide each cake horizontally to create 4 sponges. Select your layers and place one on a cake board or cake plate. Begin to sandwich each cake layer with chocolate icing to form a 4 tiered cake. Finally smother all of the cake with a generous covering of chocolate icing.
• Serve:
• 09 Enjoy as a dessert or a special occasion cake with tea or coffee.