Instructions: To prepare the gateau: MELT chocolate in a double boiler. Cool to room temperature. Sieve together the flour, baking powder, soda bicarb and cocoa powder into a large bowl. Cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add to it a little of the flour mixture, water and milk and beat well. Continue doing this till all the flour, milk and water is used up. Pour the mixture into a well greased cake tin. Bake in a pre-heated oven at 180 C/350 F for 45 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the centre of the cake comes out clean.

To prepare the choco-mint cream: Sieve icing sugar and cocoa powder together. Beat margarine until soft and smooth. Add to it the icing sugar-cocoa powder mix and peppermint essence and mix well with an electric blender, till the icing is smooth.

Sandwich the cake twice in-between and spread the icing evenly on the first two layers and then on top of the cake. Decorate as desired.

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