Here’s a cake guaranteed to bring a smile, or three, to any chocolate lover’s face. It’s a triple layered, triple chocolaty, triple treat – ideal for a party, a tea-time special treat or just to be indulgent.

Serves: 10 – 12

Time: About an hour for the cake + cooling, then 20 minutes to assemble + fridge time.

Level: Easy to moderate

Need: 3 x 20cm/8” round, loose bottomed cake tins

Ingredients

Cake

• 250g/9oz butter, softened
• 250g/9oz caster sugar
• 250g/9oz self-raising flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 100g/3.5oz ground almonds
• 3 eggs, beaten
• 40ml/1.25fl oz milk
• 1 – 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 40g/1.25oz cocoa powder in about 30ml/1fl oz milk
• 30g/1oz dark chocolate drops
• 60g/2oz white chocolate drops

Filling/topping

• 500g/16oz Mascarpone or full fat cream cheese or a mixture
• 1 tsp vanilla extract (optional)
• 1 tbsp milk (if needed)
• 150g/5.5oz – 175g/6oz icing sugar, sifted
• 60g/2oz melted white chocolate

Decoration (you choose)

• chocolate sprinkles
• chocolate shavings
• sliced fruit

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 160C / Fan 140C / 325F /Gas 3. Grease and line the base of the tins then dust lightly with flour.

2. Put all the sponge ingredients except the cocoa powder and chocolate drops in a bowl and beat until well mixed.

3. Separate the mixture: two-thirds into one bowl, a third into another. Stir the cocoa paste into the larger mixture and mix in thoroughly.

4. Add the dark chocolate drops to the lighter mixture; add the white chocolate drops to the darker mixture. Stir to distribute evenly.

5. Spoon equal amounts of the mixtures into the three tins: two dark, one white. Level the tops then bake for 30 – 35 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean.

6. Cool in the tins for 5 minutes then turn out onto a wire rack to cool fully.

7. For the filling/topping beat the mascarpone and vanilla extract (if using) in a large bowl then sift in the icing sugar. Mix well then add the melted, cooled chocolate and beat well. If too thick, add the milk.  Put in fridge for 30 minutes.

8. Use about half of the mixture to combine the cakes, stacking them: dark-white-dark.

9. For a semi-naked look, apply a small amount of the mixture around the sides thinly and smoothly, like a crumb coat. Cover the top in a similar way then place in fridge for at least 30 minutes.

10. Use the remaining mixture to cover the top of the cake. Decorate however you choose.

I hope you bake this lovely cake and enjoy it. If you want to see more of my chocolate cake recipes click here. Some of my current favourites are these:

Rhubarb, Almond and White Chocolate Cake

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Golden Chocolate Cake

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Coconut & Lime Chocolate Cake

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Also, please have a look at my site for lots of other recipes, sweet and savoury. If you’d like to comment or ask a question please do, via the contact page.

Whatever you bake, I wish you well.

Enjoy your baking (and eating)

Ian