Italian Chocolate Cake

100g butter or margarine
225g soft brown sugar
2 tbsp cocoa
3 eggs, well beaten
75g plain (dark) chocolate
150ml boiling water
400g plain flour
1 tsp baking powder
A pinch of salt
2 tsp vanilla essence
157ml single cream
150ml double cream

*Cream together the margarine, sugar and cocoa.
*Gradually beat in the eggs.
*Melt the chocolate in the boiling water, then add to the mixture.
*Stir in the flour, baking powder and salt. Beat in the vanilla essence and single cream.
*Spoon into two greased and lined 23cm/9inch cake tins and bake in a preheated oven at 180degreesC/gas mark 4 for 25 minutes until well risen and springy to touch.
*Leave to cool in the tins for 5 minutes before turning onto a wire rack to finish cooling.
*Whisk the double cream until stiff, then use to sandwich the cakes together.