Ingredients

Chocolate cake
190 g All-purpose flour
300 g Caster sugar
80 g Unsweetened cocoa powder
2/3 tbsp Baking soda
1 tsp Baking powder
1 tsp Salt
240 ml Buttermilk, room temperature
160 ml Hot coffee
120 ml Squeaky Gate Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 tsp Pure vanilla extract
2 eggs Room temperature

For the Dark Fudge Frosting:
340 g unsalted butter, softened
160 g icing sugar
60 g cocoa powder
80 ml hot water
80 ml sour cream
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
Generous pinch of salt
200 g premium dark chocolate, chopped or chips, melted
Handful of your favourite sprinkles

Method

Preheat oven to 180°C

In a large mixing bowl, sift flour, sugar, black cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.

In a medium bowl or measuring cup, combine the buttermilk, coffee, oil, and vanilla, and then mix in eggs. Add liquid mixture to dry ingredients and whisk until smooth, about 1 minute.

Bake until a wooden pick inserted into the centre of the cake comes out with a only a few crumbs, about 25 minutes. Try not to over-bake. Let cake cool in pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes, and then turn onto rack to cool completely. When ready to assemble the cake, wrap the layers in cling wrap and chill for about 30 minutes.

In a bowl of stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, or with a handheld mixer, beat the butter on medium speed until pale and fluffy, about 6 minutes. Sift together the sugar and cocoa powder. Reduce to speed to low, and add the icing sugar, cocoa powder, water, sour cream, vanilla, and salt and beat until incorporated, about 1 minute. Increase the speed to medium and beat for 2 more minutes.

Add the melted chocolate and beat on medium speed until smooth, about 1 minute. Put your cake board or plate, and using a piping bag with an angle nozzle, pipe the icing back and forth in a snake motion along the top of the cake.

Adorn the top of the cake with your favourite sprinkles, if desired. It is easiest to toss the sprinkles onto the cake from all angles. The cake will keep at room temperature for up to 2 days, refrigerated for up to 3 days. Best enjoyed at room temperature.