Chocolate And Chestnut Layer Cake Recipe

Ingredients

• 225g unsalted butter
• 250g icing sugar
• 4 large egg whites, beaten
• 275g plain flour, sifted
• 2tsp baking powder
• 130ml milk
• 1tsp vanilla extract
• 100g ground almonds
• 100g sweet chestnut spread (we used Clement Faugier)
• 100g dark chocolate (70% cocoa solids), melted
• ready-to-roll marzipan, to decorate
• edible gold shimmer spray (we used Dr Oetker), to decorate

For the chocolate mousse filling:

• 100g dark chocolate
• 1 large egg, separated
• 100ml double cream

For the filling and icing:

• 400ml light or standard double cream
• 50g sweet chestnut spread

You will need:

• 3 x 20cm springform tins, greased and lined
• snowflake cutters

Method

1. Heat the oven to 180C, 160C fan, gas 4. Using an electric mixer, whisk the butter and icing sugar until pale and creamy. Gradually beat in the egg whites, a little at a time and mixing well after each addition.

2. Add the flour and baking powder, a quarter at a time, adding a splash of milk each time. Be careful not to add too much much to avoid curdling. Add the vanilla extract at the same time.

3. Divide the mix equally between 3 bowls, In one, gently fold in the ground almonds. In the next, fold in the chestnut puree, and in the last bowl, fold in the chocolate. Divide between the tins and bale fir 20-25 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the cake comes out clean. Leave to cool for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack, then cool completely.

4. To make the chocolate mousse filling, melt the chocolate in a heatproof bowl with 50ml water over a pan of gently simmering water. Stir until smooth then allow to cool slightly. Beat in the egg yolk. In a separate bowl, beat the egg white until stiff then fold into the chocolate mixture. Cover and leave to chill and set.

5. When you are ready to assemble the cake, divide the cream between 2 bowls; whisk one on its own and the other with the chestnut spread, until just stiff enough to hold its shape - do not over mix. PLace a layer of chocolate sponge on a plate, spread wit the plain cream then top with the chestnut sponge. Spread on the chocolate mousse and top with the ground almond sponge. Add the chestnut cream and decorate. We used snowflakes cut outré of ready-to-roll marzipan and sprayed with edible shimmer spray.