Diana's Chocolate Cake

What you need

• 2 cups sugar
• 1 cup oil
• 1 cup warm water
• 6 eggs, separated
• 2 cups flour
• 2 t baking powder
• 1 t salt
• 4 t cocoa

Method

1. 1

   Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F).

2. 2

   Combine sugar, oil, warm water, and egg yolks in a bowl.

3. 3

   Sift the flour, baking powder, salt, and cocoa together three times.

4. 4

   Fold the sifted dry ingredients into the oil mixture.

5. 5

   Whisk the egg whites until just beginning to form peaks and fold into the mixture.

6. 6

   Divide the cake mixture between two greased and floured cake tins.

7. 7

   Bake for 40 minutes until firm and brown.

8. 8

   Cool the cakes on a cooling rack.

What you need

• 3 cups sifted icing sugar
• 2 t cocoa
• 1 cup butter
• 1-2 T milk or water

Method

1. 1

   Sift the icing sugar and cocoa together.

2. 2

   Cream the butter and gradually add the icing sugar.

3. 3

   Add milk or water as needed to achieve desired consistency.

4. 4

   Once cooled, sandwich the cakes together with apricot jam or ice each cake separately.

5. 5

   Spread icing sugar around the sides of the cake.

6. 6

   Roll the sides in coconut.

7. 7

   Decorate with cherries and icing sugar rosettes.