Sunday, 2nd August – When I had a first look at this cake online, I thought “woooh”. First, this looks very professional, second this seems delicious, third I am up for the challenge. And as for every challenge there are barriers: I could not find the food grade varnish and I do not have a microwave. This did not stop me for too long. To every problem, there is a solution. This is what makes me love baking: you know the result you aim for, just make it happen.

INGREDIENTS

Chocolate Cake

• 1 cup brown sugar
• 3/4 cup milk
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 1/2 cup all purpose flour
• 2 tbsp (13g) baking powder
• 1/2 cup cocoa powder
• 3 eggs lightly whisked
• 465g Maltesers

Butter cream

• 3/4 cup butter at room temperature
• 2 1/4 cups icing sugar
• 3/4 cup condensed milk (not sweet)
• 1 tbsp milk

Ganache

• 300g dark chocolate
• 1/2 cup thickened cream
• 30g butter

Final touch

• Golden powder

PREPARATION

Chocolate Cake

Material: round baking pan, small pan, whisk, tooth pick, plate

1. Preheat the oven to 160°C. Grease a 18cm round cake pan with butter.
2. Place the brown sugar, milk and butter in a pan and let it melt until the mixture is smooth. This goes quite fast.
3. Whisk the combined flour and cocoa powder into the butter mixture. Whisk in the eggs.
4. Pour the preparation in the baking pan. Bake for 55 minutes or until a long tooth pick inserted into the center comes out clean.
5. Set aside in the pan for 5 minutes to cool before transferring to a plate to cool completely.

Ganache

Material: pan

1. For the ganache, melt the chocolate, cream and butter in a pan at low heat until the mixture is smooth.

Butter Cream

Material: large bowl, hand mixer,

1. To make the butter cream, use an electric mixer to beat the butter in a bowl until pale and creamy. Beat in the icing sugar, condensed milk and the milk until fluffy. Beat in 1 1/2 tablespoons ganache.
2. Put the remaining ganache into the fridge for 1 hour 30 minutes or until thick, glossy and spreadable.

Assembling

Material: bread knife, plate, metal spatula

1. Use a bread knife to cut the cake horizontally into three layers. Do not do too many layers as the cake is quite fragile. Put the knife at the desired height and turn the plate with the cake to make sure the cut is straight.
2. Place the cake base on a plate. Spread with half of the butter cream.
3. Continue layering with the remaining cake and butter cream, finishing with cake.
4. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the fridge for 1 hour 30 minutes to chill.
5. After the chilling part, spread the ganache evenly over the top and side of the cake. The layer should be thick enough so that the Maltesers stick well.
6. Decorate with Maltesers. First make a strip of chocolate balls straight down the center of the cake, then add in rows on either side.
7. For the final touch, spread gold powder on all the cake. Put some powder on your fingers and blow it for an even result.