Vanilla mascarpone makes a lovely creamy firm filling with a generous smothering of chocolate truffle icing and heaps of chocolates piled on top – an easy cake to achieve with the wow factor!

SERVES 16, PREP 25 MINS, COOK 55 MINS

250g unsalted butter, at room temp

225g light muscovado sugar

200g golden caster sugar

1tsp vanilla extract

4 large eggs

300g plain flour

75g cocoa

21/2tsp baking powder

284ml buttermilk

For the filling:

250g mascarpone

50g icing sugar, sieved

2tbsp vanilla extract

For the truffle icing:

150ml double cream

2tbsp golden caster sugar

100g dark chocolate, chopped

200g assorted chocolate truffles (we used Lindt Lindor)

20 white and milk chocolate maltesers

2tbsp chocolate popping candy (we used Heston from Waitrose)

1 Heat oven to 160C, Gas 3. Grease and line 2x19cm round cake tins. Put the butter, sugars and vanilla extract into  the bowl of an electric mixer,  beat together for 10 mins until really light and fluffy.

2 Gradually add the eggs, beating well between each addition.

3 Add half the flour, cocoa, baking powder and buttermilk and gently combine. Repeat, adding remaining ingredients.

4 Spoon mixture into prepared tins and bake for 45 mins until well risen, and a skewer comes out clean.

5 Meanwhile, make the filling; stir together mascarpone, icing sugar and vanilla exract until smooth. Put into a piping bag with a plain knozzle.

6 For the truffle icing, warm the cream with the sugar, add the chocolate and stir to combine, until smooth. Leave to cool and thicken slightly.

7 Cool the cakes on a wire rack, peeling away the lining paper.

8 Put the cake onto serving plate, pipe in mascarpone filling and top with other cake. Spoon the chocolate truffle icing over the top of the cake. Pile truffles and Maltesers onto the centre top of cake. Sprinkle with chocolate popping candy.

Per serving: 566 cals, 31g fat (20g saturated), 56g carbs