Devil's food cake with strawberry cream

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F, gas mark 4). Grease a 24cm (9½ inch) round cake tin and line the base with baking paper.
2. Sift the flour and cocoa into a large bowl. Add the sugar, eggs, butter and 250ml (9 fl oz) water. Using electric beaters, beat on low speed for 1 min. Increase the speed to high and beat for a further 4 mins.
3. Pour into the tin. Bake for about 55 mins, or until a skewer comes out clean when poked into the centre of the cake. Leave in the tin for 20 mins before turning out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
4. To make the chocolate curls, put the milk and white chocolate in separate heatproof bowls. Half fill a saucepan with water and bring to the boil. Individually, sit the bowls over the saucepan. Allow to stand, stirring occasionally until the chocolate has melted.
5. Spread the melted chocolate separately in thin layers onto a flat surface. Allow to set. Using a knife at a 45-degree angle, form long, thin curls by pushing the knife through the chocolate away from you. Refrigerate the curls until needed.
6. To make the ganache, put the chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl. Half fill a saucepan with water and bring to the boil. Sit the bowl over the pan, but don't let the bowl touch the water. Allow to stand, stirring occasionally until the chocolate has melted. Set aside to cool slightly.
7. To make the strawberry cream, beat the cream and icing sugar together until thick. Refrigerate until needed.
8. Set aside 8 whole strawberries, and hull and chop the remainder. Just before using, fold the chopped strawberries and vanilla through the cream. Mix together the jam and liqueur. Cut the cake in half horizontally. Place the bottom half on a serving plate and spread evenly with the jam, then the strawberry cream. Top with the other cake half. Spread the ganache smoothly over the top of the cake. Arrange the milk and white chocolate curls and the strawberries decoratively over the cake. To serve, dust the cake with icing sugar and cut into wedges.

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