Being a twin, I’ve always shared a birthday cake. Each year, I ask my sister what I should bake and the answer is almost never chocolate, despite it being one of my favourite cake flavours. However, this year, I’ll be changing that and making this lovely, fudgy two-layer chocolate cake filled and topped with a luscious, malty buttercream that I could eat by the spoonful. If you want to make it extra celebratory, swap the chocolate shavings for sprinkles.
Chocolate and malted buttercream cake
Prep 10 min
Cook 1 hr
Serves 12
315g plain flour
150g caster sugar
120g light brown sugar
50g cocoa powder
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
¼ tsp fine sea salt
3 large eggs
60ml neutral oil
225g plain yoghurt
115g unsalted butter, melted
170ml hot brewed coffee
For the malted buttercream
250g unsalted butter
1 tsp vanilla bean paste
40ml whole milk
50g malted milk powder (eg, Horlicks)
175g icing sugar
¼ tsp fine sea salt
Milk chocolate, shaved, to finish
Heat the oven to 180C (160C fan)/350F/gas 4 and grease and line two 20cm loose-bottomed cake tins. Put the flour, both sugars, cocoa powder, baking powder, bicarb and salt in a bowl and whisk to combine.
In a jug, whisk the eggs, oil, yoghurt and melted butter. Make a well in the centre of the dry ingredients, pour in the liquid mix, then stir in the coffee until everything comes together into a smooth batter. Divide evenly between the two lined tins and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean. Remove, leave the cakes to cool in their tins for 10 minutes, then lift out and transfer to a rack to cool completely.
Meanwhile, make the buttercream. In a stand mixer, or using an electric whisk, beat the butter and vanilla for three or four minutes, until pale and creamy.
Heat the milk in a small saucepan or microwave until hot, then add the malted milk powder and whisk smooth. Beat half the icing sugar into the butter, then pour in the hot malted milk followed by the rest of the icing sugar and the salt. Beat again until smooth and creamy.
When you’re ready to assemble, invert the cakes and put one on a plate or serving board, and trim the top if it’s not level. Spoon some buttercream on top, spread it out evenly, then add the second cake topside down. Spread the remaining buttercream on top, finish with some shaved chocolate around the edges, then slice and serve.
