Tiramisu cake

Tiramisu cake

• 300g butter, plus some for the tin
• 300g caster sugar
• 4 eggs
• 300g self-raising flour

FILLING

• 4 tsp caster sugar
• 2 shots espresso coffee (or make up 60ml of very strong coffee)
• 250g tub mascarpone
• icing sugar to taste

TOPPING

• 200g dark chocolate
• 50g butter

1. Heat the oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4. Line 2 square 20cm x 20cm cake tins with parchment and butter.
2. Cream the butter and sugar together until smooth and pale, gradually beat in the eggs and then fold in the flour. If the mixture is very heavy, add 1-2 tbsp water. Spoon into the cake tins and bake for 20-30 minutes or until risen and golden and a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean. Cool.
3. Peel the paper off the cakes and trim the top flat on each. Line 1 tin with a double layer of clingfilm. Add the sugar to the espresso and stir until dissolved. Drop a cake back in the tin, trimmed-side up, and brush over half of the espresso. Brush the remaining espresso over the trimmed side of the other cake.
4. Whip the mascarpone (with electric beaters) until it is spoonable then add enough icing sugar to sweeten it, around 3 tbsp. Spoon over the cake and then carefully drop the other cake on top, espresso-side down. Press down firmly.
5. Melt the chocolate and butter together in a microwave or in a bowl set over gently simmering water. Let it cool and thicken slightly then pour in an even layer onto the cake. Leave to set somewhere cool. Lift out the cake using the clingfilm and carefully peel it off.