Method

1. Preheat oven to 350 deg F (Gas mark 4 or 180 deg C).
2. Line a 9 inch (23 cm) cake tin with greaseproof or other non-stick paper and grease the tin.
3. Beat the softened butter with sugar.
4. Add one egg at a time, mix well between each egg.
5. Mix with flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, vanilla extract, and finely ground almonds.
6. Add 5 tablespoons of boiling water and mix well.
7. Bake at 350 degrees until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean, ca. 40-50 minutes.
8. Cool the cakes and cut each in half, horizontally. They are easier to cut if they are kept in a refrigerator for a few hours before cutting.

Frosting

1. Melt the butter with 1½ tablespoon water in a sauce pan and remove from the heat.
2. Mix with icing sugar, cocoa powder and vanilla. Stir until smooth.
3. Use one third or the frosting to sandwich the two layers together and coat the cake with the remainder of the frosting.
4. Cool the cake in the fridge to harden the frosting. Place the cake at room temperature 1-2 hours before it is served.

Variations

1. You may substitute the hot water with hot coffee.
2. If you mix some boiling water with the cocoa powder prior to adding it to the frosting mixture it would melt all the little lumps of cocoa powder you would get.
3. If you do not completely melt the butter but softens it you will get a far more rewarding result.