Serves: 24, Calories: 305

Ingredients

Cake:

• 350g caster sugar.  1400
• 120ml veg oil, OR, 160g soft butter.  1202
• 3 large eggs.  225
• 1 tbsp vanilla essence (or 1.½ tsp extract).  51
• 100ml sour cream (optional).  187
• 250g plain flour, sifted.  855
• 100g ground hazelnuts.  691
• 3 tsp baking powder
• Pinch of salt
• 200ml milk (room temp / microwave from cold on defrost for 40 secs).  98

Ganache Topping:

• 100g dark choc chips.  533
• 100g milk choc chips.  560
• 300ml real double cream.  1332
• 25g chopped hazelnuts to sprinkle.  175

Method

1. Preheat oven to 160°C Fan/Gas Mark 4.
2. Grease and line 12x9" Pyrex roaster.
3. All ingredients must be warm room temp.
4. Cake: In large mixing bowl; Cream butter and sugar.
5. Add eggs one at a time, whisking well between additions.
6. Whisk in vanilla and sour cream.
7. Briefly fold in ½ flour, ½ ground hazelnuts, plus baking powder, salt and ½ milk.
8. Fold in remaining flour, ground hazelnuts and milk until just combined.
9. Pour into dish. Bake for 75 mins. Cover with foil from 35 mins.
10. Cool for 40 mins in dish. Remove. Cool completely.
11. Ganache: In small saucepan; Warm cream until just simmering around edges.
12. In medium Pyrex bowl; Place chocolate chips. Pour warm cream over chocolate.
13. Melt for 5 mins then stir to incorporate.
14. Cool to room temp/spreadable consistency.
15. Top cake with ganache and chopped hazelnuts.

Calories = 7309

• 7309 / 24 = 305
• 7309 / 20 = 365

Tip: Makes 24 cupcakes. Bake for 16-20 mins.

Tip: Substitute sour cream for Greek yogurt, OR, Mascarpone, OR, leave out entirely. Cake will taste fine but not be as moist after 2 days.