Ingredients (serves 20)

• 1 cup (250ml) water - combine with next 2 ingredients
• 120g butter
• 4 Tbsp cocoa
• 2 cups plain flour, sifted - combine with next 2 ingredients
• 1 tsp bicarb of soda, sifted
• 2 cups caster sugar
• 1/2 cup buttermilk - combine with next 2 ingredients
• 1 tsp vanilla extract (not essence)
• 2 eggs
• 100g butter, softened - for frosting
• 500g cream cheese - for frosting
• 2 cups icing sugar, sifted - for frosting
• 1/2 cup cocoa, sifted - for frosting
• 2 x 220g blocks of Nestle chocolate - for shards (milk or dark – dark gives some bitterness to all the sweetness in this cake though!)
• 155 gram bag Maltesers for decoration

Method

1. Preheat oven to 170o C (150oC fan forced). Grease and line with paper 2 x 18 cm round cake tins.
2. Place the water, butter and cocoa in a saucepan over medium heat and stir until the butter has melted. Place the flour, bicarb of soda and sugar in a bowl, add the cocoa mixture and whisk to combine. Add the eggs, buttermilk and vanilla and whisk to combine. Press through a sieve to get rid of any lumps.
3. Divide mixture between the 2 cake tins and bake for approximately 50 minutes or until cooked when tested with a skewer. Allow to cool in the tins for 5 minutes. Turn out onto wire racks to cool completely.
4. While the cake is baking, make the cream cheese frosting. Place the butter and cheese in the bowl of an electric mixer and beat for 6-8 minutes or until pale and creamy. Add the icing sugar and cocoa and beat for a further 6-8 minutes or until light and fluffy.
5. To assemble, slice the cakes in half horizontally. Place one cake layer on a plate and spread with some frosting (don’t use all as you will need to put it around the cake). Repeat with remaining layers and frosting. Decorate as desired (see below).
6. JANINE’S DECORATION Shards - Using 2 x 220g block of chocolate (I prefer dark as it gives a bitterness to all the sweet things in the cake!), melt either in a microwave in 30 second bursts until melted or in a bowl over boiling water (make sure that the water doesn’t touch the bowl or the chocolate will seize). Spread in lines over one length of greaseproof paper, and then cover with another length of greaseproof paper – ensuring that any air bubbles are out. Put into fridge for 10 minutes.
7. Spread some of the frosting around the outside of the cake and attach the shards. Either spread or pipe the frosting on top of the cake and put some Maltesers on top (a 155g bag will suffice). Tie a ribbon around the cake to ensure that the shards don’t fall off! Finally – enjoy!