Choc layer cake Gingerbread star snowflakes Festive chocolate cupcakes

SERVES 12 READY IN 55 mins

● 6 EGGS, SEPARATED ● 175G DARK CHOCOLATE, CHOPPED

● 175G GOLDEN CASTER SUGAR, PLUS EXTRA TO SPRINKLE ● FOR THE FILLING ● 500G MASCARPONE CHEESE ● 50G GOLDEN ICING SUGAR ● 2TBSP COCOA POWDER ● 225G CHERRIES IN KIRSCH, DRAINED ● YOU WILL NEED ● 20X30CM SWISS ROLL TIN, GREASED AND LINED

1 Heat the oven to 180C/gas

4. Whisk the egg whites in a bowl until softly peaking, set aside. Melt the chocolate.

2 Whisk the egg yolks and caster sugar together until pale and doubled in volume. Whisk in the chocolate and gently fold in the egg whites.

3 Pour into the tin. Bake for 25 mins. Put a sheet of baking paper sprinkled with caster sugar on a cooling rack. Turn the cake onto it. Peel off the lining paper. Cover with baking paper and a damp tea towel. Leave to cool.

4 Mix together the icing sugar and mascarpone. Put two-thirds into a separate bowl and mix in the cocoa.

5 Slice the cake lengthways into four. Layer the sponges with chocolate mascarpone, then white mascarpone, then cherries. Top the final sponge with chocolate mascarpone and extra cherries.

MAKES 100 approximately READY IN 2hrs plus cooling

● 600G PLAIN FLOUR ● ½TSP SALT

● ½TSP BICARBONATE OF SODA

● 1TBSP GROUND GINGER ● ½TSP EACH OF GROUND NUTMEG AND CINNAMON ● 200G UNSALTED BUTTER, SOFTENED ● 200G SOFT LIGHT BROWN SUGAR ● 150G GOLDEN SYRUP ● 1 EGG, PLUS 1 EGG YOLK ● TO DECORATE

● 250G ROYAL ICING SUGAR ● 50G WHITE CHOCOLATE YOU WILL NEED ● BISCUIT CUTTERS ● LINED BAKING TRAYS ● PIPING BAG

1 Heat the oven to 200C/gas

6. Sift the flour, salt, bicarb and spices into a bowl. Melt the butter, sugar and golden syrup in a pan, leave to cool slightly. Mix with the flour. Beat in egg and yolk. Wrap the dough in cling film and chill in the fridge for 30 mins.

2 Roll out the dough to the thickness of a £1 coin and cut out your stars. Repeat with the remaining dough. Bake on trays in batches for 10-15 mins until golden. Leave to cool slightly before moving to a wire rack to cool.

3 Put the royal icing sugar in a bowl and mix in 4tbsp water until thick and smooth. Spoon into a piping bag and pipe snowflake designs onto half the biscuits. Melt the white chocolate and spoon into a piping bag. Decorate the rest of the biscuits.

MAKES 12

READY IN 50 mins

● 125G BUTTER, SOFTENED ● 125G GOLDEN CASTER SUGAR ● 125G SELF-RAISING FLOUR ● 2TBSP COCOA POWDER ● 1TSP BAKING POWDER ● 2 LARGE EGGS ● 1TSP VANILLA EXTRACT ● 2-3TBSP MILK

● FOR THE ICING ● 150G PLAIN OR MILK CHOCOLATE, FINELY CHOPPED ● 150ML DOUBLE CREAM ● 50G ICING SUGAR ● MINI GINGERBREAD MEN AND HOLLY SUGAR DECORATIONS ● YOU WILL NEED ● 12-HOLE BUN TIN, LINED WITH SILVER CASES

1 Heat the oven to 180C/gas

4. Place the butter and caster sugar in a large bowl and sift in the flour, cocoa powder and baking powder. Add the eggs and vanilla extract and beat with an electric mixer until smooth and creamy. Gradually beat in the milk (you may not need all of it) to make a soft dropping consistency.

2 Spoon the mixture into the paper cases and bake for 20 mins until well risen. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

3 Put the chocolate in a bowl. Heat the cream in a pan until almost boiling. Pour over the chocolate and stir until melted. Sift in the icing sugar and mix.

4 Spread the icing over the cupcakes and top with the sugar decorations.