Jo Wheatley's Rose and Chocolate Wedding Cake Recipe

Ingredients

For the base:

• 235g unsalted butter, softened
• 410g caster sugar
• 4 large eggs, beaten
• 105g self-raising flour
• 280g plain flour
• 1¾tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 95g cocoa powder
• 280ml sour cream, at room temperature
• 70g full-fat cream cheese, at room temperature

For the top layer:

• 100g unsalted butter, softened
• 165g caster sugar
• 2 large eggs, beaten
• 50g self-raising flour
• 115g plain flour
• ½tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 45g cocoa powder
• 110ml sour cream, at room temperature
• 30g full-fat cream cheese, at room temperature

For the vanilla buttercream:

750g icing sugar

100g unsalted butter, softened

1tsp vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste

For decoration:

160 10cm tall dark chocolate cigarillos

40-70 small trimmed roses, unsprayed and untreated

You will also need:

A 25cm and a 15cm round springform or loose-bottomed cake tin, buttered and the bases lined with a disc of buttered baking parchment

A disposable piping bag

3 cake dowels

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180ºC/350ºF/Gas Mark 4

2. Start by making the base cake. Beat the butter and caster sugar together until pale, light and fluffy using either a free-standing mixer or an electric hand-held mixer

3. Gradually add the beaten eggs, a little at a time, beating well between each addition

4. Sift both the flours, the bicarbonate of soda and the cocoa powder into a separate bowl. In a third bowl, mix the sour cream and cream cheese together until smooth. Add half the sifted dry ingredients to the egg and sugar mixture and foldin using a large metal spoon. Then add half of the cream mixture and combine. Repeat this process with the remaining flour and sour cream and mix until smooth

5. Spoon the cake batter into the 25cm tin and spread level with a palette knife. Place on the middle shelf of the oven and bake for 70–80 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean. Leave the cake to cool in its tin for 10 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack to cool completely. If making the day before, the cooled cake in baking parchment and foil until ready to decorate

6. Make the top layer by repeating the method as above with the quantities listed. Spoon the cake batter into the 15cm tin and spread level with a palette knife. Place on the middle shelf of the preheated oven for 40–45 minutes or until a wooden skewer inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean. Leave the cake to cool in its tin for 10 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack to cool completely

7. To make the buttercream, beat the butter, icing sugar and vanilla extract until light and fluffy

8. Cover the cooled cakes with the buttercream

9. Place smaller cake onto a cake board then place on the centre of the larger cake

10. Working quickly, press the cigarillos around the outside of the cakes, cutting in half for the top layer. Add roses to finish. As an alternative to the roses, decorate with fresh, soft fruits, such as raspberries, strawberries, blueberries and redcurrants. Add the fruits at the very last minute.