Ingredients

Method

• For the hot-milk sponge:
• 8 free-range eggs
• 500 g caster sugar
• 1 cup warm brown butter
• 560 g flour
• ½ t salt
• 2 T baking powder
• 2 cups milk, warmed
• 2 t vanilla paste
• For the caramel ganache buttercream:
• 1 cup cream
• 200 g Woolworths caramel chocolate drops
• 200 g butter, softened
• 380 g icing sugar, sifted

Method

Ingredients

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C. Grease and line 3 cake tins of varying sizes. Beat the eggs and sugar until light and creamy. Slowly fold in the warm brown butter.

2. Fold in the dry ingredients and gently add the milk and vanilla. Divide the mixture between the cake tins and bake for 20 minutes (10 cm cake tins) or 30 minutes (15 cm+ cake tins). Cool in the tins before removing.

3. To make the caramel ganache buttercream, bring the cream to a simmer in a saucepan and pour over the chocolate. Allow to stand for 1 minute, then mix until smooth and glossy. Place a sheet of clingwrap directly on the surface and chill until completely cooled. Whisk the butter until light and fluffy, slowly adding the icing sugar. Whisk in the chocolate until well combined and fluffy. Ice the cakes and top with white chocolate curls and spun sugar.

Find more Christmas dessert recipes here.

Photographs: Myburgh Du Plessis
Production: Abigail Donnelly
Food assistants: Bianca Strydom and Nadia Meyer