Devine Chocolate Birthday Cake by Kees

for the cake...

6 eggs, 5 of them separated
215g caster sugar
265g plain chocolate broken into pieces
1 teaspoon instant coffee
1 teaspoon hot water
150g ground almonds

for the icing...

4 tablespoons apricot jam
225g plain chocolate
100g unsalted butter

Preheat oven to 190C/375F gas mark 5.

Grease a 9 inch cake tin, place egg yolks and egg in a bowl with the sugar and whisk until thick and light. Melt the chocolate slowly, dissolve the coffee in the hot water and add to the chocolate.

Cool slightly, then stir into the egg mixture with the almonds.

In a separate bowl whisk the egg whites until stiff but not dry, and carefully fold into the egg and chocolate mixture. Turn into the tin and gently level the surface.

Bake for 50 minutes or until well risen and a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean.

Cool for 10 minutes then turn out onto a wire rack to cool.

Measure the jam into a pan and melt over a low heat. Brush all over the cake. Melt the chocolate slowly, add the butter, and stir until the icing has the consistency of thick pouring cream. Poor over the cake smoothing over the top and sides with a palette knife. ALLOW TO SET before decorating!

It's bloody lovely...enjoy!

From Mary Berry's Ultimate Cake Book