I’m not, it probably won’t surprise you to know, much of a baker. There always seems to be too much fuss – too much weighing and measuring, too much waiting for butter to soften, too many dirty, sticky bowls, and too many hours spent with your arms in the sink.

The supposedly exact science of baking – or at least cake baking – is, however, very surmountable at a basic level. As long as you remember to keep quantities of butter, sugar, flour and eggs roughly similar then you can muck about with the bells and whistles all you like. This was taken to a quite grotesque level of decadence by my friend Ed last New Year, who appeared with a cake consisting of a white chocolate sponge, a raspberry cheesecake filling, and a buttercream topping that was more body armour than icing, and was renamed ‘the helmet’.

The Helmet Cake

So this is about the level I aim at with baking. I mean, perhaps with a little more finesse, but really I just want something slutty and sweet. If you want beautiful, delicate, perfect cakes go to Dan Lepard or Signe Johansen or Fiona Cairns. If you want something indulgent and very naughty, I’m here for you.

I’ve used duck eggs for their ability to produce the most extraordinarily light and fluffy sponge (indeed, unprompted, and after I’d written this post, those are the two words the sister and her boyfriend used), though large hens’ eggs will of course do the trick.

*****

For the sponge

3 Clarence Court duck eggs, weighed and whisked (about 180g)
equal quantities of softened butter, light muscovado sugar, self raising flour
200g dark chocolate
A good slug of amaretto
A pinch of salt

For the buttercream

100g softened butter
200g icing sugar
50g chopped roasted hazelnuts
2 tbsp cocoa powder
A splash of milk

To finish

Mini eggs, natch

***

 – Preheat the oven to 160C and grease and line two 20cm cake tins.

– Put the chocolate and amaretto in a bowl over a pan of barely simmering water and melt.

– Cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, then slowly whisk in the beaten egg. A pinch of flour helps to stop it curdling. Fold through the rest of the flour and a pinch of salt, and then the melted chocolate. Tip into baking tins and bake in the middle of a preheated oven for 30-40 minutes, until a skewer comes out clean. Remove from the oven and cool for 20 minutes, before turning onto a wire rack and leaving to cool entirely.

– Beat the butter and the icing sugar together, then fold through the hazelnuts, cocoa powder, and a splash of milk. Spread a layer on the top of one of the cakes, and top with the other. Finish with the remaining icing and a few mini eggs.

 This recipe was developed for Clarence Court