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
Horlicks in the buttercream gives the malt flavour that makes this taste specifically of Malteser.
Beat butter alone for 4 minutes — gives the light, silky base for the buttercream.
Decorate before refrigerating — cold buttercream is too hard to press Maltesers into easily.
Be generous with the Maltesers — a modest amount looks mean on this cake.
Cool sponges completely before frosting — warm sponge melts the buttercream.
Freeze unfrosted sponge layers for up to 3 months.
