Ready in 1 hour
350g self-raising flour, sifted
2 tsp baking powder
500g golden caster sugar
100g good-quality cocoa powder
200ml boiling water
5 eggs, beaten
1 tbsp vanilla extract
250g lightly salted butter, softened
To prepare the tin:
50g butter, melted
25g cocoa powder, sifted
To decorate:
100g icing sugar, sifted
2 tbsp ginger syrup (from jar of stem ginger)
1 egg white
fresh rosemary sprigs
50g caster sugar
100g red currants
1 Preheat the oven to 180°C/160 ̊C fan/ gas 5. For the tin, brush the inside of a 21cm Bundt tin with the butter, allow to set, then brush again. Tip the cocoa into the tin. Rotate until it covers the inside.
2 Place the cocoa in a large bowl and pour over the boiling water. Beat until smooth. Allow to cool before adding the eggs, vanilla extract and butter. Beat with an electric mix until smooth.
3 Sift together the flour and baking powder and stir in the sugar. Stir into the cake batter until thoroughly mixed. Spoon the mixture into the prepared tin. To even out, hold the tin firmly and bang on the worksurface. Bake for 35-40 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean. Allow to cool in the tin.
4 To decorate, combine the icing sugar and the ginger syrup until you have a thick pouring consistency. Pour over the cake and set to one side. To frost the rosemary sprigs, add 1 tbsp of cold water to the egg white and beat with a fork. Dip in the sprig and then gently dip into the sugar. Set aside to harden a little. Arrange the rosemary and red currants on top and serve.
