TRIPLE CHOCOLATE CAKE DECORATED WITH ALL SORTS

Recipe

I’m usually all for the natural decorations but this cake calls for crazy toppings of all kinds. You can use anything at your disposal, so rifle through your pantry, pick some flowers from your garden and get creative.

SERVES 12

FOR THE CAKE

150g butter, softened
150g caster sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
3 free-range eggs
150g white all-purpose flour
50g ground almonds
2 tsp baking powder
Pinch sea salt
½ cup whole milk
80g white chocolate buttons 
80g roughly chopped milk chocolate
80g 70 per cent dark chocolate buttons 

FOR THE CHOCOLATE CREAM CHEESE ICING

150g butter, softened
2 cups icing sugar
2 tbsp Dutch process cocoa powder
100g cream cheese
1 tsp vanilla extract

FOR THE DECORATIONS

3 tbsp sprinkles of your choice
Handful Maltesers (roughly chopped)
Fresh or dried flowers (optional)

  1. Preheat the oven to 170C fan bake. Line 2 x 22cm tins with baking paper.
  2. In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar until pale, light and fluffy. Add the vanilla and then the eggs, one at a time.
  3. In 2 parts, mix in the flour, ground almonds, baking powder and salt. Finally add the milk. Stop your electric mixer once all the ingredients are combined. Do not over mix. By hand, stir through all of the chocolate. Evenly divide the batter between the 2 tins.
  4. Bake for approximately 25-30 minutes or until golden in colour, springy to the touch and a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean. Allow the cakes to cool for 10 minutes before turning out onto a cooling rack.
  5. Meanwhile, make the icing. In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the butter by itself until smooth. Add the icing sugar and cocoa powder and beat on high until seriously light and fluffy. Gradually add the cream cheese, followed by the vanilla. The icing should be smooth, creamy and thick.
  6. Once the cakes are completely cool, spread some icing on one of the layers and place the second layer directly on top. Spread a neat layer of icing to the top of the cake and decorate with sprinkles, Malteasers and flowers, if using.
  7. Serve at room temperature. Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3 days.