King of Cakes: Semi-naked Chocolate Celebration Cake.

Serves 12-14, Prep 1 hour, Cook 1 hour, 20 mins

1 cup cocoa powder 1 cup boiling water 300g unsalted butter, chopped,

at room temperature 2 cups caster sugar 4 eggs, at room temperature 2½ cups plain flour 1½ tsps baking powder 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda 1 cup buttermilk ¾ cup Dark Choc Melts ¼ cup pure cream Easter eggs, to decorate

FROSTING 200g unsalted butter, chopped,

at room temperature 2 cups icing sugar mixture ¼ cup cocoa powder 1 tblsp milk

1 Grease three 20cm round cake pans. Line bases and sides with baking paper, extending paper 2cm above the pan edges. 2 Whisk the cocoa and water in a heatproof jug until smooth. Cool completely. 3 Beat butter and sugar in a large bowl of an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time, until combined. Stir in the cocoa mixture. Mixture will look curdled at this stage. 4 Add combined sifted flour, baking powder and soda with the buttermilk in two batches, stirring until smooth. Divide evenly among prepared pans. Smooth over tops. 5 Cook two cakes in a moderately slow oven (160C) for about 40 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Remove. Stand in pans for 10 minutes. Turn out onto a wire rack to cool. Repeat with remaining cake. 6 To make frosting, beat butter in small bowl of an electric mixer until pale. Beat in combined sifted sugar and cocoa until combined. Beat in milk. Reserve 1 cup frosting. 7 Sandwich cakes together with ½ cup remaining frosting in between each layer. 8 Using a spatula, spread the reserved frosting over the top and thinly around the side, scraping away excess to create the naked look. 9 Combine chocolate and cream in a heatproof bowl. Sit bowl over a saucepan of simmering water. Stir until smooth. Remove. Stand for 5 minutes. 10 Pour over the top of the cake, allowing it to drip down the side. Stand for 15 minutes. Decorate with Easter eggs.