Julie Goodwin’s chocolate ganache cake

Preheat the oven to 170C (150C fan-forced). Grease a deep 20cm cake pan; line base and side with baking paper.

Beat the butter, sugar and vanilla in the small bowl of an electric mixer until pale and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Transfer to a large bowl; add the chocolate, a little at a time, and mix until combined.

Fold in half the sifted flour and salt, then half the milk. Repeat with remaining flour and milk. Gently stir in coffee.

Pour the batter into prepared cake pan and bake for 1 hour 15 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the cake comes out clean. Cool in pan 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool.

CHOCOLATE GANACHE: Meanwhile, place the chopped chocolate in a bowl. In a medium saucepan, bring cream to the boil. Pour the cream over the chocolate and stir until melted. Stand the chocolate mixture, stirring as it cools or until thick and spreadable.

Ice the top and sides of cake. Just before serving top with berries. Serve with vanilla ice-cream if desired.