Last week, I made this amazing Malteaser chocolate cake! It only lasted a few minutes at work before people scoffed it, but before that it was so much fun to make – and look at!

I had this idea purely because we had leftover chocolate to cook with at home, and I’ve given up eating sweet things that I haven’t made myself for Lent…this has led to increased baking in our house! Also, to be honest, I had a massive Malteaser craving and figured it counts as something I’ve made myself if I put some on top of a cake…right? Anyway, enjoy! As always let us know if you have a go at this beaut!

Nat x

INGREDIENTS:

For the cake:

• 230g dark chocolate
• 170g unsalted butter
• 350g light soft brown sugar
• 3 large eggs (separated)
• 370g plain flour
• 1 1/2tsp baking powder
• 1 1/2tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 1/2tsp salt
• 500ml semi-skimmed milk (at room temp)
• 2 tsps vanilla extract (I used vanilla bean paste)

For the buttercream:

• 110g unsalted butter
• 60ml semi-skimmed milk (at room temp)
• 1tsp vanilla extract (again I used vanilla bean paste)
• 500g icing sugar
• 2 large bags of Malteasers (I used 2 of the share-size bags)

METHOD:

1. Preheat the oven to 170C (fan)/190C/375F/Gas mark 5, and grease and like 3 20cm baking tins (the recipe calls for 2 tins, but I split over 3 to be a little more of an exciting cake!).
2. Melt the chocolate in the microwave (in short bursts) or in a heatproof bowl over some boiling water. Set this aside to cool.
3. Meanwhile, in a large bowl cream the butter and sugar until pale. In a separate bowl, beat the egg yolks for a few minutes and slowly add to the creamed sugar, beat well. Add the chocolate and beat again.
4. In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and salt. Also combine the milk and vanilla extract in a jug. Mix a third of the flour to the sugar mixture and beat well, then add a third of the milk mixture and beat again until mixed. Repeat this another 2 times until it is all incorporated.
5. In a clean bowl, beat the egg whites until soft peaks form. fold this into the main batter using a metal spoon. Divide evenly between the tins and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.
6. Leave in their tins for 10mins, then move to a wire rack to cool. When completely cool it’s time to get started with the Malteasers!

For the buttercream

1. In a large bowl, beat in the butter, milk, vanilla and half the icing sugar until smooth. Once it is smooth, add in the rest of the icing sugar.
2. In a food processor, pulse one of the bags of Malteasers for a minute or so – you want them to be small but not too dusty, small enough that they can be spread with the icing but still big enough to be tasted!
3. Mix this in to the buttercream with a spoon and start spreading over the cake to sandwich the layers together. Once the cake is covered completely, it’s time to decorate with more Malteasers! I cut each in half (which is not as easy at it sounds – they were super crumbly!) and arranged them on the top of the cake.

Now time to eat, It’s definitely a crowd pleaser this one!