Ingredients

• 150g Clandeboye natural yoghurt
• 170g self-raising flour
• 100g butter
• 180g golden caster sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3 eggs
• 4 heaped tablespoons cocoa powder
• 2 packets (200g) dark chocolate (or milk) chips
• 1 small, strong espresso coffee, cooled

For the icing

• 110g plain chocolate
• 110g unsalted butter
• 110g icing sugar
• 2 tablespoons golden syrup
• icing sugar, for dusting

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Steps

1. Preheat the oven to 170. Grease and line two 20cm cake tins with baking parchment
2. In a mixing bowl, beat the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy
3. Add the vanilla extract and then one egg at a time, beating until smooth after each addition
4. Add the yoghurt & coffee and beat until smooth
5. OPTION 1: If you are going to use the cakes as 2 individual cakes, stir through half the chocolate chips into the mix and then top the cakes with the other half, patting down very gently, so that the chocolate is still visible
6. OPTION 2: If you are going to ice and sandwich the cakes together, stir the chocolate chips in completely, before spooning into the cake tins
7. Sift in the flour then add in the cocoa powder and mix well.
8. Spoon into the prepared cake tins.
9. Bake in the preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Remove from the oven and allow to cool in their tins for 1 hour then transfer to a cooling rack for 2 hours to cool fully.
10. Once the cakes are cool and ready for decorating, melt the chocolate in a bowl over hot water. Add the butter and stir until melted. Remove from the heat and stir in the icing sugar and golden syrup.
11. Put the first cake onto a serving plate and slice a little off the top (if necessary) to make it an even base for the top layer
12. Spread the icing over this first layer then sandwich the second cake on top. Spread the remaining icing on top then dust with icing sugar.
13. Slice and serve.