Idea for a special occasion, this rich and satisfying chocolate cake from one of New York’s finest bakeries is certain to impress.

Ingredients: (serves 15)

For the cakes

• 365g plain flour
• 600g brown sugar
• 120g cocoa powder
• 15g baking soda
• 250g butter, at room temperature
• 1tsp instant coffee (or a shot of espresso)
• 370ml warm water
• 4 whole eggs
• 130ml vegetable oil
• 2tsp vanilla extract
• 255ml buttermilk

For the icing

• 600g icing sugar, sifted
• 300g butter, softened
• Cocoa powder, to taste

Method:

1. Preheat your oven to 170°C. Prepare three 18 cm (7”) cake tins with cooking spray or butter and line with baking paper.

2. Place the flour, sugar, cocoa and baking soda in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and mix on low to combine. Add the butter and mix on low until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs (you can also do this by hand).

3. In a separate bowl, dissolve the instant coffee in the warm water (or just use the shot of espresso), add the eggs, oil and vanilla and mix together. Add two-thirds of the wet mixture to the dry ingredients and mix on medium-high until thick and fluffy. Add the remaining wet ingredients and mix well until combined and the batter is smooth.

4. Add the buttermilk and mix slowly to combine. There may be small chunks of buttermilk but don’t fret, this is normal. This is quite a wet batter, so don’t panic if it’s not thick.

5. Pour the mixture evenly into the prepared tins and bake for 30–40 mins until a skewer or knitting needle poked into the cakes comes out clean. Allow to cool in the tins for 5–10mins, then turn out onto cooling racks.

6. When cool, wrap cakes in cling film and chill for 2 hours or overnight – this will make them easier to trim and ice.

7. Beat the sifted icing sugar and the butter together with your chosen flavouring and colouring if using, add 2-3 tbsp of boiling water to loosen and beat until smooth. Add cocoa powder to taste if you want chocolate frosting.

8. Divide the frosting for your three sections and ice by dolloping the mixture into the centre of each cake and swirl outwards with a palette knife. Repeat until adding the final layer on the top of the cake. Decorate as you wish.