OOMPAH LOOMPAH CAKE

Steps:

• Place the chocolate and butter in a microwave safe bowl and microwave on high power for 1-2 minutes.
• Remove and stir until smooth.
• Dissolve the coffee powder in the brandy and add to the chocolate mixture.
• Separate the eggs and beat the yolks with the sugar until light and thick.
• Stir the chocolate mixture into the egg yolk mixture then stir through the flour and almond meal.
• Whisk the egg whites until stiff, then beat in the remaining 1 tablespoon castor sugar. Continue to beat until firm but not dry.
• Gently fold 1/3 of the whites into the chocolate mixture, then fold in the rest.
• Pour into a lined 22cm cake pan.
• Cake can also be baked in a kugelhopf pan - make sure you liberally butter the pan and dust with a mixture of cocoa, flour & castor sugar (about 1 t of each). baking time about 40 minutes.
• Bake in a preheated 160 degree celcius oven for about 45-55 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the cake comes out clean (leave the cake slightly undercooked for a fudgey centre).
• Leave to cool for 5 minutes before unmoulding onto a wire rack to cool.
• Dust with icing sugar before serving.
• Delicious served slightly warm with vanilla ice-cream or cream and strawberries or cherries.
• Cooled cake can also be covered with whipped fresh cream and decorated with fresh strawberries and mixed berries (the frozen mixed berries work well) and then dusted with icing sugar.
• Chocolate Ganache-250g dark cooking chocolate, chopped & 1/3 cup cream, melt in microwave in 30 second bursts, until chocolate melted, stir till combined & drizzle over cake.
• Note: Preparation time includes baking time.