Chocolate & orange madeira cake

Preheat the oven to 180°C, gas mark 4. Grease and line the bases of 3 x 20cm sandwich tins with baking parchment. In a large mixing bowl, use electric beaters to beat together the butter and sugar until light in colour. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, followed by the cream and vanilla extract. Fold through the flour and ground almonds.

Divide the mixture between the 3 tins, levelling the surface. Bake for 20-22 minutes until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Leave to cool in the tins for 10 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

Meanwhile, for the decoration, use a vegetable peeler to remove the zest from the orange. On a flat board, use a sharp knife to carefully remove the white pith from the zest, then cut the zest into long, thin strips. Put 50g caster sugar and 50ml juice from the orange in a small saucepan. Warm over a low heat until the sugar dissolves, then bring to a simmer and add the strips of zest. Put the remaining sugar on a plate. After 2 minutes, remove the pan from the heat and use two forks to take out the zest and toss it in the remaining sugar before placing on baking parchment to harden (reserve the syrup).

When the cakes are cool, put one sponge on a flat plate or board and drizzle with half the orange syrup remaining from candying the zest. Evenly spread with 2 tbsp chocolate and Brazilian orange frosting. Place another sponge on top and repeat, then add the final sponge. Use a palette knife to smooth the remaining frosting over the top and sides of the cake. Finish with the candied orange zest. Serve with a drizzle of extra single cream, if liked.