Chocolate Cake with Walnuts

I only made half the recipe, using a 20cm tin.

Ingredients

• 2 cups plain flour
• 1 tbsp baking powder
• 1 pinch of salt
• 1 cup butter at room temperature
• 1 1/2 cups caster sugar
• 1 cup milk
• 2 1/2 tbsp chocolate powder (I just used the kind for making hot chocolate)
• 1 cup chopped walnuts
• 4 eggs
• Drops of vanilla

Filling

Prepare a soft brigadeiro (Brazilian chocolate truffle) by heating the condensed milk with the walnuts over medium-low heat. Set aside to fill the cake once cold.

Topping

Whip 500ml of chilled double cream until it reaches the chantilly (whipped cream) stage. If you prefer, sweeten it with 2 tbsp icing sugar.

Method

1. Whisk the egg whites until stiff with the salt and set aside

2. Beat the egg yolks, sugar and butter until it forms a pale cream

3. Sift the chocolate powder, flour and baking powder and add them gradually to the yolk mixture, alternating with the milk, until you get a smooth, homogeneous mixture, then turn off the mixer

4. Mixing gently with a spatula, add the walnuts and then the stiff egg whites

5. Bake in an oven preheated to 180C until a skewer inserted comes out clean, about 25-30 minutes

Assembly

1. Wait for the cake and the filling to cool completely before assembling

2. Cut the cake in half and spread the filling gently, forming a layer

3. Spread the chantilly with a spatula and decorate with cherries and walnuts