BAILEYS CHOCOLATE CAKE

150 grams butter, chopped (2/3 cup)
100 grams dark choc chips (1/2 cup)
100 grams caster sugar (1/3 cup)
100 grams brown sugar (1/2 cup packed)
50 grams cocoa (1/2 cup)
180 ml baileys irish cream (3/4 cup)
170 grams plain flour, sifted ( 1 cup)
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon bicarb soda (baking soda)
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 eggs, lightly beaten

preheat oven to 160 c.  grease sides and line bottom of 20 cm (8 inch) cake tin with baking paper.

in a small bowl, mix the flour, bicarb, baking powder and salt together. put aside.

in a medium sized pot, on low heat, melt the butter, sugars, chocolate chips and cocoa together until the butter and chocolate is melted. stir well to combine. cool slightly.

stir in the baileys then the eggs.

fold in the flour mix.

pour in to tin.

cook for 40 -45 minutes until just a few crumbs stick to a skewer. mine took 40 minutes.

don't over cook.

cool in tin for 10 minutes then invert onto a wire rack to cool completely.

ice with the ganache.

GANACHE

200 grams dark chocolate chips (1 cup)
100 mls cream (1/3 cup + 1 tablespoon)
100 mls baileys irish cream (1/3 cup + 1 tablespoon)

1 - 1 1/2 cups icing sugar

in a small pot, over low heat, heat the cream and baileys until hot but not boiling. remove from heat. can also be heated in a microwave.

add the chocolate and stir till smooth.

cool completely. should also thicken a bit.

place chocolate mix into a bowl and using an electric mixer, beat in the 1 cup icing sugar. add the other half cup if needed.

spread over cake and decorate as desired