SALTED CARAMEL CHOCOLATE DRIP CAKE

MODERATE This cake, using my favourite chocolate cake recipe, is simple to decorate – just make sure your drizzle is the right consistency for neat drips.

Serves 12-16

For the 4 chocolate cakes (you’ll be baking them in 2 batches)

360g (12½oz) unsalted butter, really soft, in pieces, plus extra for greasing 4tbsp cocoa powder

200g (7oz) chocolate, 60-70% cocoa solids, finely chopped

300g (10½oz) full-fat natural yoghurt

2tsp vanilla extract

500g (1lb 2oz) self-raising flour 2tsp baking powder

2tsp bicarbonate of soda

600g (1lb 5oz) light muscovado sugar 6 eggs

For the buttercream and filling

500g (1lb 2oz) unsalted butter, softened

500g (1lb 2oz) icing sugar

400g (14oz) white chocolate, very finely chopped

5tbsp caramel condensed milk (from supermarkets)

½tsp sea salt

For the chocolate drizzle

150g (5½oz) dark chocolate

(70% cocoa solids), finely chopped 1tsp sunflower oil

For the shards

100g (3½oz) each dark chocolate (70% cocoa solids) and white chocolate, very finely chopped Gold sugar pearls and sprinkles

Preheat the oven to 180°C/fan 160°C/ gas 4 and butter and line the tins with parchment. Then, make the first batch of cake mixture. Pour 200ml of boiling water over 2tbsp cocoa powder, stir and cool. In a heatproof bowl set over gently simmering water, melt 100g of the chocolate and stir in 150g yoghurt and 1tsp vanilla. When the cocoa

mixture is lukewarm, add it to the melted chocolate, stir and set aside. Sift together 250g of the flour, 1tsp baking powder and 1tsp bicarbonate of soda. In the bowl of a food mixer, cream 180g butter and 300g sugar for 5 minutes, until really light. Slowly add 3 eggs, lightly beaten, with 1tbsp of the flour mixture. Gently fold in the flour and chocolate mixtures.

Divide the mixture between the 2 tins and bake for 30-35 minutes, until a skewer comes out clean. Leave in the tins for 2 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack. Leave until cold. While they’re baking, make the second batch of mixture using the remaining ingredients in exactly the same quantities, so it’s ready to bake when the tins have cooled. While the second batch is baking, make your chocolate shards (see right).

To make the buttercream, beat the butter and icing sugar for 5 minutes until creamy. Melt the white chocolate in a bowl over a pan of barely simmering water, making sure the bowl doesn’t touch the water. Cool for 10 minutes then beat into the butter and sugar until smooth. Place 5tbsp of the buttercream in a bowl and stir in the caramel and salt, to make the filling.

To assemble your layers, level the cakes with a serrated knife then place one, upside down, on the cake drum, securing with buttercream. Use the caramel filling to sandwich the cakes together, making sure the one on top has its flat bottom uppermost. Spread a thin layer of buttercream over the

cake and chill for 15 minutes. Put the cake on a stand or turntable

– use a palette knife to help you lift it – then cover it and its drum with a thicker layer of buttercream. Smooth with a scraper, then chill for 10-15 minutes. For the drizzle, melt the dark chocolate as for the buttercream.

Stir in the oil until you get a smooth, thick pouring consistency. To decorate, follow the step-by-step guide below.