Rich Czech Chocolate Layer Cake with Silky Ganache

Preheat your oven to 160°C (140°C fan/gas 3). Grease a 22cm loose-bottomed round cake tin with butter and line the base with baking parchment. In a saucepan over low heat, combine the dark chocolate, 200g of butter, and the dissolved instant coffee. Stir gently until just melted and smooth, taking care not to let the mixture boil. Remove from the heat and allow it to cool slightly.

In a large mixing bowl, sift together the plain flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, cocoa powder, dark muscovado sugar, and granulated sugar. Whisk until the mixture is uniform and free of lumps. In a separate jug or bowl, lightly beat the eggs and stir in the buttermilk.

Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients. Pour in the melted chocolate mixture and the egg-buttermilk mixture. Stir steadily until you have a smooth, consistent batter. Pour the batter into the prepared cake tin.

Bake for 50 to 90 minutes. The cake is done when a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean. If the top begins to brown too quickly, cover it loosely with foil. Don't worry if the surface cracks slightly, as the ganache will hide any imperfections. Let the cake cool in the tin for 10 minutes (it may sink slightly), then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.