Ingredients

350g unsalted butter

350g caster sugar

6 free-range eggs

80g good quality cocoa

270g self-raising flour

90g melted dark chocolate

3 teaspoons of orange extract

For the buttercream:

300g unsalted butter

600g icing sugar

Orange food colouring

3 teaspoons of orange extract

Method:

1. Grease 3 x 7-inch round sandwich tins.

2. Preheat the oven to 180C.

3. Cream your room temperature butter with your sugar until it’s pale, light and fluffy.

4. Mix in the eggs, one at a time, beating really well after each egg. Don’t worry if it starts to look a bit curdled, it’ll all come good once cooked!

5. Mix in your flour and cocoa. If you’ve been using a mixer, do this bit by hand. It helps to keep the sponge light.

6. Stir in the melted and slightly-cooled chocolate and the orange extract.

7. Spoon into your tins, smooth out with the back of a spoon. Make a bit of a dip in the middle to account for rising.

8. Bake for about 30 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean. You may need to adjust the time by five minutes either way depending on your oven.

9. Meanwhile make your icing. Beat your butter until it’s pale, light and fluffy.

10. Beat in your icing sugar and orange extract.

11. Colour the bowl of buttercream orange using any orange colouring. Use a very small amount at a time until you get the colour required. If the buttercream is too stiff, beat in a teaspoon or two of boiling water to soften.

12. When your cakes are cold, use a carving knife to level them. Just trim the top crust off. Remember, this is important, it’s not a waste of cake, if you don’t do this, with a cake this size it will not be level!

13. Top each layer with a spread of buttercream.

14. Spread some of the buttercream around the outside of two of the layers, sit on top of each other.

15. Cut out 10cm rounds from the centres of the following sponge layers and place them on top of each other. Fill the hole with your chosen sweets before adding the top layer.

16. On and around the top layer, decorate as you wish! I chose a pumpkin theme, decorating with smarties to create a scary face, after covering with more orange buttercream. Spooky and fun!