The chocolate cake

1. Pre-heat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius (350F). Line the baking tin with baking parchment and grease the sides.
2. Put the butter and the sugar together in a bowl and mix until light and fluffy.
3. Add the eggs one by one and mix in between. Add the vanilla extract and mix together.
4. In another bowl, mix the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt together. Add this to the butter-sugar mixture little by little while you keep mixing constantly.
5. Pour the batter into the baking tin. Bake the cake for 50-60 minutes. The cake is done when a toothpick comes out clean.
6. Leave the cake to cool in the tin for 15 minutes. Then remove the cake from the tin and put on a wire rack to cool down completely.

The chocolate frosting

1. Melt the chocolate au bain-marie by hanging a glass bowl in a pan with hot water.
2. Melt the chocolate on low heat. Turn off the heat when the chocolate has melted and add the butter. Stir until the butter has completely melted.
3. Add the icing sugar little by little and continue to stir. Add the tablespoons water one by one and stir until you have a smooth frosting. You might not have to add all four tablespoons of water.
4. Pour the frosting over the cake. Put some decorations on the frosting immediately and then leave to set.