Anna Louise Malteser cake is the most popular cake I bring to parties and gatherings — without exception. Something about the combination of rich chocolate sponge, malty chocolate buttercream, and the Maltesers pressed all over the outside and piled generously on top makes everyone immediately happy. Children love it. Adults love it. It disappears faster than any other cake I make.
The key to making this cake properly rather than just throwing Maltesers at a standard chocolate cake is the malted buttercream.
Adding Horlicks — malted milk powder — to the buttercream alongside the chocolate gives a malt flavour throughout the frosting that makes the whole cake taste specifically of Malteser rather than just chocolate and Malteser.
It is the detail that makes the difference between a cake that has Maltesers on it and a cake that genuinely tastes of Maltesers.
Ingredients for Mary Berry Malteser Cake
For the Chocolate Sponge
- 225g unsalted butter, softened
- 225g golden caster sugar
- 4 large eggs, at room temperature
- 200g self-raising flour, sifted
- 25g good quality cocoa powder, sifted
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 3 tbsp whole milk
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
For the Malted Chocolate Buttercream
- 250g unsalted butter, softened
- 400g icing sugar, sifted twice
- 4 tbsp good quality cocoa powder, sifted
- 3 tbsp Horlicks or malted milk powder — gives the specific malt flavour
- 3–4 tbsp whole milk
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- Pinch of fine salt
To Decorate
- 3 x 37g bags of Maltesers — approximately 110g total
- Extra Maltesers piled generously on top — as many as you like
How to Make Mary Berry Malteser Cake
Step 1 — Make the Chocolate Sponge
Preheat your oven to 180°C / 160°C fan / Gas 4. Grease two 20cm round sandwich tins and line the bases with baking parchment.
Beat the softened butter and golden caster sugar together for four to five minutes until pale and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each. Add the vanilla extract.
Sift the flour, cocoa powder, and baking powder into the bowl. Add the milk. Fold gently until just combined — the batter will be a deep chocolate brown.
Divide evenly between the two tins — I always weigh the batter so both layers are the same size. Bake for 22 to 26 minutes until the sponges are set, spring back lightly when pressed, and a skewer comes out clean. Cool completely on wire racks — at least one hour.
Step 2 — Make the Malted Chocolate Buttercream
Beat the softened butter alone for four full minutes until very pale and fluffy. This step matters — four minutes gives a light, silky base.
Add the double-sifted icing sugar in three batches, beating well after each. Add the sifted cocoa powder, Horlicks, vanilla, and salt. Add milk one tablespoon at a time until the buttercream is smooth, spreadable, and deeply malty-chocolatey in flavour. Beat for two more minutes.
Taste — it should taste clearly of malt and chocolate together. Add another tablespoon of Horlicks if the malt flavour seems mild.
Step 3 — Assemble
Place the first sponge on a serving plate. Spread one-third of the buttercream generously over the surface.
Place the second sponge on top. Spread the remaining buttercream over the top and sides of the cake — covering completely.
Step 4 — Decorate
Press Maltesers all over the sides of the cake — they stick easily to the fresh buttercream. Pile extra Maltesers generously on top — a loose, abundant arrangement looks more fun and more appealing than a precisely geometric one.
Refrigerate for 30 minutes before slicing — the buttercream firms and the Maltesers adhere securely.
My Top Tips For Perfect Mary Berry Malteser Cake
Horlicks in the buttercream is the secret. Without it, the buttercream tastes of chocolate. With it, it tastes of Malteser. Three tablespoons of Horlicks completely transforms the character of the frosting. Do not leave it out.
Beat the butter for four full minutes before adding the icing sugar. I say this in every buttercream recipe because it matters every time. Four minutes gives a pale, airy base that makes the buttercream light and silky rather than heavy and dense.
Do not refrigerate until after decorating. Cold buttercream is much harder to press Maltesers into. Decorate while the buttercream is still at room temperature — soft enough for the Maltesers to press in easily — then refrigerate to set.
Use generous amounts of Maltesers. A Malteser cake with a modest scattering of Maltesers looks slightly mean. Pile them on top generously — they are the point of the cake.
Cool the sponges completely before frosting. Warm sponge melts the buttercream and makes it slide and pool. Cool completely on a wire rack — at least one hour — before any frosting goes on.
Serving Suggestions
As a birthday cake — it looks spectacular and everyone immediately recognises what it is. At a children’s party — it is always the most popular cake on the table. At any celebration where something fun and crowd-pleasing is wanted.
How to Store Mary Berry Malteser Cake
In the fridge: Store covered for up to 3 days. The Maltesers soften slightly over time but the flavour remains completely wonderful. Bring to room temperature for 20 minutes before serving.
In the freezer: Freeze the unfrosted sponge layers for up to 3 months. Make the buttercream fresh and decorate on the day.
Mary Berry Malteser Cake Recipe
Ingredients
Method
- Preheat oven to 180°C / 160°C fan / Gas 4. Grease and line two 20cm tins. Beat butter and sugar 4–5 minutes. Add eggs one at a time. Add vanilla. Sift in flour, cocoa, and baking powder — add milk — fold gently. Divide between tins — weigh for even layers. Bake 22–26 minutes. Cool completely.
- Beat butter alone 4 minutes. Add icing sugar in 3 batches. Add cocoa, Horlicks, vanilla, and salt. Add milk until smooth and spreadable. Beat 2 minutes. Taste — adjust Horlicks if needed.
- Place first sponge on serving plate. Spread one-third of buttercream over. Top with second sponge. Spread remaining buttercream over top and sides.
- Press Maltesers all over sides while buttercream is soft. Pile extra Maltesers generously on top. Refrigerate 30 minutes. Slice.
Notes
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use a different malt powder?
Yes — Ovaltine gives a slightly different but equally malty result. Any malted milk powder works.
Can I crush some Maltesers into the buttercream?
Yes — roughly crushing 50g of Maltesers and folding them into the buttercream before spreading gives additional texture and malt flavour throughout.
Can I make this as a traybake?
Yes — pour the sponge batter into a greased and lined 33x23cm traybake tin. Bake at the same temperature for 28 to 33 minutes. Spread the buttercream over the cooled traybake and scatter Maltesers generously over the top.
Can I use milk chocolate instead of cocoa in the sponge?
The cocoa gives the right depth and colour for this cake. Milk chocolate in the sponge gives a paler, sweeter result that does not give the right contrast with the malted buttercream.
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