Sinjistalk has kindly posted the JD Xmas cake recipe on another thread.
For those who would like it - this is what she posted -
Dark Chocolate Cake – Josceline Dimbleby, Cooking for Christmas
Ingredients
Cranberry and Orange Filling
4 fl oz (100ml) fresh orange juice (about 2 oranges)
4 oz (100g) sugar
8 oz (200g) fresh cranberries
Cake
4 oz (100g) plain chocolate
3 tablespoons (3 x 15ml spoon) water
6 oz (150g) butter or margarine
10 oz (250g) soft dark brown sugar
1 teaspoon (5ml spoon) vanilla essence
3 large (size 4) eggs – lightly whisked
6 fl oz (150mls) milk, soured by adding the juice of ½ lemon
10 oz (250g) plain flour
½ teaspoon (2.5ml spoon) baking powder
1½ level teaspoons (3 x 2.5ml spoon) of bicarbonate of soda
Frosting
2 large (size 4) egg whites
12 oz (300g) caster sugar
Good pinch of salt
Juice of 1 lemon
½ tablespoon (15ml spoon) water
½ teaspoon (2.5ml spoon) cream of tartar
Christmas decorations
Also need
2 8½-9½ in. (22-24cm) Sandwich tins
Greaseproof paper
To Make
Cranberry and Orange Filling
Make the cranberry and orange filling first.
Put the orange juice in a saucepan and stir in the sugar.
Add the cranberries.
Cover, bring to the boil and simmer for 5 minutes.
Cool and chill well in the fridge before using.
Now line two greased 8½-9½ in. (22-24cm) sandwich tins with greased greaseproof paper.
Turn the oven to Gas Mark 4 / 350OF /180OC
Cake
Break the chocolate into small pieces, then put with the 3 spoons of hot water in a bowl over a pan of very hot water, stirring occasionally until smooth. Remove from the heat and cool slightly.
Cream the fat with the sugar and vanilla essence until light and fluffy.
Thoroughly beat in the eggs and melted chocolate.
Add the soured milk alternately with the sifted flour, baking powder and bicarbonate of soda.
Divide the mixture between two tins and smooth with a knife.
Bake towards the centre of the oven for 30-40 minutes until well risen and springy to touch in the centre. Leave in the tins for 10 minutes, then turn the cakes carefully out on to a wire tray to cool, and remove greaseproof paper. When cold, sandwich together with the cranberry and orange filling.
Frosting
Put all the ingredients together in a large bowl and whisk together.
Put the bowl over a pan of very hot water and continue to whisk for about 10 minutes until the mixture is thick enough to stand in peaks and the sugar has dissolved.
Spread at once thickly all over the cake with a wide knife, making rough flicks.
Decorate, leave in a cool place but not the fridge.
You can, of course, make the cake in advance and freeze it. The icing is best done a day before you cut the cake.