Churros cake

SERVES 12 // PREP + COOK TIME 1 HR 30 MINS (PLUS COOLING)

This cake takes its inspiration from Spanish churros – fried dough strips dusted in cinnamon and sugar that are customarily dipped in rich hot chocolate or a thick caramel.

4 eggs

515 gm (21/3 cups) caster sugar 2 tsp vanilla extract

150 gm (1 cup) self-raising flour 110 gm (¾ cup) plain flour 35 gm (¼ cup) cornflour

250 ml (1 cup) milk

100 gm butter, plus 40gm extra melted

1 tsp ground cinnamon

300 ml thickened cream

450 gm dulce de leche

(see note)

GANACHE

125 ml (½ cup) pouring cream 200 gm dark chocolate, finely chopped 1 Preheat oven to 160°C. Grease 3 deep 20cm-round cake tins and line bases and sides with baking paper.

2 Beat eggs in the bowl of an electric mixer until foamy

(30 seconds). Add 440gm sugar and vanilla, and beat until pale and thick (5 minutes). Transfer mixture to a large bowl, then gently fold in triple-sifted flours. 3 Heat milk and butter in a small saucepan over low heat until butter melts (2 minutes). Whisk 1 cup of the cake batter into milk mixture until smooth. Fold milk mixture into remaining cake batter. Divide mixture evenly among pans. 4 Bake cakes until golden brown and cakes spring back when pressed lightly with your finger (35 minutes).

5 Meanwhile, combine remaining 75gm sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl. Sprinkle half on a large rimmed plate. Sprinkle 3 sheets of baking paper with remainder.

6 Turn hot cakes onto cinnamon-sugared paper and set aside to cool (10 minutes). Brush sides of warm cakes with extra melted butter and roll in remaining cinnamon sugar on plate to coat sides. Sprinkle any leftover cinnamon sugar over top of cakes. Cool on wire racks. 7 For the ganache, heat cream in a small saucepan until almost boiling. Add chocolate, remove from heat and stir until melted and mixture is smooth. Set aside until mixture cools and thickens. (20 minutes). 8 Meanwhile, beat cream in the bowl of an electric mixer until firm peaks form (3 minutes). 9 To assemble, place a cake layer, sugared-side up, on a cake plate. Spread with half the dulce de leche, then half the cream. Repeat layers, finishing with cake. Spread ganache over top of cake, allowing it to drip slightly down the side. Note Dulce de leche is available from delicatessens and select supermarkets.