ELECTRIC CAKE RECIPES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 190C/170C fan/gas 5. Butter the base and sides of two 20cm round sandwich tins and line the bases with baking parchment.
• In a large bowl, beat together 200g golden caster sugar, 200g softened unsalted butter, 4 large eggs, 200g self-raising flour, 2 tbsp cocoa powder, 1 tsp baking powder, ½ tsp vanilla extract, 2 tbsp milk and a pinch of salt until pale.
• Divide the mixture between the prepared tins. Bake for 20 mins or until a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean.
• Leave to cool in the tin for 10 mins, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
• For the buttercream, put 100g chopped milk chocolate in a heatproof bowl and melt in the microwave, stirring every 30 secs. Leave the melted chocolate to cool for 5 mins.
• Mash 200g softened butter and 400g icing sugar together with a fork, then switch to a wooden spoon or electric beaters, if you have them.
• Sift in 5 tbsp cocoa powder with a pinch of salt and pour in the melted chocolate and 2 tbsp milk. Mix again until smooth.
• On a cake stand or large plate, sandwich the cakes together with half of the buttercream, then spread the rest on top. Decorate with chocolate shards, if you like.
• To make chocolate shards: melt 50g dark chocolate and pour it onto a tray lined with baking parchment or foil.
• Now melt 25g milk chocolate and 25g white chocolate and drizzle them over the dark chocolate before it sets.
• Shake the tray gently to level the mixture then leave to set somewhere cool. Chop into shards.

Steps:

• Butter 2 x 20cm non-stick sandwich tins and line with circles of baking paper. Heat oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4. Using electric hand beaters, beat the butter, 3 tbsp peanut butter, eggs, sugar and yogurt together until smooth and creamy. Fold in the flour, then split the mix between the tins, using a spatula to get every last bit. Bake for 30 mins until risen and golden.
• Meanwhile, toss the salted peanuts and icing sugar with ½ tsp water until well coated and claggy. Spread over a non-stick baking sheet. When the cakes are ready, leave them to cool for 5 mins in the tin, then turn onto a cooling rack to cool completely. Turn the oven up to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6, then roast the nuts for 10 mins, tossing them a couple of times until golden and coated in a shiny caramel. Tip onto a lightly buttered plate. Make the topping while you wait: melt the chocolate and milk together in a pan over simmering water or microwave on High for 1 min, then stir to melt. Leave to cool.
• Put one of the sponges onto a plate, spread with 2 tbsp peanut butter (or more), then dot with the dulce de leche and spread with a palette knife. Sandwich the second sponge on top, then spread with the chocolate topping. Scatter with the caramelised peanuts to serve.