My Winning Cake Recipe

I recently won a cake baking competition run by RussellHobbs and here is the recipe:-

Chocolate Macadamia Nut Sponge Cake with a Maple Caramel Filling and Dark Chocolate Buttercream Icing

Preheat oven to 180C - Bake 25-30 mins

Sponge:-
175g Self Raising flour
50g Cocoa powder
225g Castor Sugar
1/2 tsp baking powder
225g Unsalted butter (room temperature)
4 eggs
100g macadamia nuts (finely chopped)

I followed the procedure that was in the little cookbook pamphlet that came with the food machine. Put the eggs and butter into the bowl of the RussellHobbs Creations Food Machine. 
Sift the dry ingredients into the food machine then add the eggs and mix on medium speed for three minutes.  Whilst the batter is mixing I always add 3-6 Tbsp approx of milk to give a smooth texture and helps to keep the cake moist.

Pour into two greased and floured 20cm sponge pans.

Bake until a toothpick or cake tester comes out clean and if you press lightly on the top of the cake it springs back. Cool for 5-10 mins before taking out of pan and leaving on a cooling rack until fully cool.

Filling:-
1 jar Maple Caramel Sauce
Icing Sugar

Mix the Maple Caramel with the icing sugar a little at a time until the desired consistency is achieved.
Sandwich the two sponges together with the filling.

Icing:-
600g icing sugar
300g softened butter
150g dark chocolate
150ml double cream

Blend the icing sugar with the softened butter and whip until fluffy.  In another bowl break the chocolate into pieces and melt in the microwave or in a bowl over a pan of softly boiling water.  Cool for a minute or two then slowly add the double cream.
Slowly a bit at a time add to the buttercream mixture.

Spread the icing over the top and sides of the cake and smooth with a palet knife.

As this was for a special occasion I sprinkled edible gold glitter over the top and edible gold stars.

And then it won!!