Chocolate Rum Cake
1 1/4 cups flour
4 tablespoons cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
150g firmly packed brown sugar
2 eggs, separated
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla essence
1/4 cup rum
300ml thickened cream
1/2 block grated chocolate
1. Preheat oven to 180C. Grease 2 x 20cm round cake tins.
2. Sift together flour, cocoa powder, slat and baking powder and stir in sugar.
3. Mix together egg yolks, oil, milk and vanilla essence and beat with flour mixture to a smooth batter.
4. Whisk egg whites until stiff; then fold into batter using a metal spoon (egg whites love to be in touch with metal).
5. Bake for 30 minutes or until firm to touch. Turn out and cool on a wire rack.
6. Return cold cakes to clean tins and sprinkle with rum. Leave to stand until rum has been absorbed.
7. Whip cream until thick. Use a little less than half to sandwich the cakes together, then transfer the cake to a serving plate.
8. Spread remaining cream over the top and sides. Press chocolate onto sides and sprinkle over the top.