Harry Potter birthday cake

Ingredients for 1 servings:

• 160 ml water, boiling
• 50 g cocoa powder
• 1 tsp instant coffee powder
• 120 g flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 115 g butter, room temperature
• 225 g sugar
• 100 g brown sugar
• 3 large eggs, room temperature
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 230 g dark chocolate
• 180 ml double cream
• 30 g butter
• 75 g corn syrup
• 115 g butter
• 125 g powdered sugar
• 1 tbsp double cream
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 125 g powdered sugar
• Food coloring, green

Instructions

Working time approx. 1 hour; Rest time approx. 10 minutes; Cooking/baking time approx. 40 minutes; Total time approx. 1 hour 50 minutes

for two 20cm springform pans

Preheat the oven to 180°C (top/bottom heat). Grease and flour the sides of two 20cm round baking pans. Line the bases with baking paper. To prepare the two cake layers, combine boiling water, cocoa powder, and instant coffee in a measuring jug or small bowl until creamy. Set the mixture aside. In another bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, and salt and set aside. In a large bowl, beat the butter, white sugar, and brown sugar with a mixer for about 5 minutes until light and fluffy, gradually incorporating any butter from the sides of the bowl. Add the eggs one at a time, gradually incorporating any bits of the mixture that have settled on the sides of the bowl. Add the vanilla extract and stir until well blended. Then add the hot cocoa mixture and stir in, stirring along the sides of the bowl. Set the mixer to the slowest speed and stir in the flour. Finally, use a spatula to stir the batter until smooth. Divide the batter evenly between the prepared baking pans. Bake in the preheated oven for about 20 minutes on the middle rack, until firm to the touch and a toothpick inserted comes out clean with a few moist crumbs. It’s important to time this precisely, as the batter will quickly become unusable if left in the oven too long. Let the cakes cool in the pans for about 10 minutes. Then place a wire rack on top of the cakes, turn them over, and let them cool completely. For the chocolate cream, put the chocolate, double cream, butter, and corn syrup in a bowl. Microwave on high for 1 to 2 minutes, then beat until creamy. Let the mixture cool until thick but still pourable. For the frosting, beat the butter, powdered sugar, double cream, and vanilla extract with a mixer for about 7 minutes until fluffy. Add half of the cooled chocolate cream and beat the mixture until light and fluffy. If the frosting is too runny to spread, you can put it in the fridge for 10 minutes and then beat it again. This process can be repeated if necessary. For the icing, add water a tablespoon at a time to the powdered sugar and beat until thick. Add the food coloring until the desired shade of green is achieved. Place one cake upside down on a round piece of cake board. Spread about 12 tablespoons of frosting on it and smooth it all the way to the edges. Place the second cake upside down on top. Spread the frosting all over the sides of the cake. Pour the remaining chocolate cream over the cake. It’s okay if it runs over the edges. If it’s too thick, you can warm it briefly in the microwave. Then stir it so the heat is evenly distributed. Let it cool again, if necessary. If you have any frosting left over, you can put it in a piping bag and decorate the edges of the cake with pretty decorations. Fill a piping bag with the icing and pipe “Happy Birthday…” onto the cake. The lettering doesn’t have to be perfect.