Coffee & hazelnut praline cake

An impressive special-occasion cake – not one for everyday.

Serves 6-8 

Prepare ahead Can be assembled and iced up to a day ahead and decorated with the praline up to 8 hours before serving.

Freeze The cake, without icing, freezes well.

1 tbsp coffee granules

1 tbsp just-boiled water

4 eggs

225g (8oz) baking spread,

plus extra for greasing

225g (8oz) caster sugar

225g (8oz) self-raising flour

1 tsp baking powder

for the praline

100g (4oz) granulated sugar

75g (3oz) whole hazelnuts

for the buttercream

1½ tbsp coffee granules

1½ tbsp just-boiled water

225g (8oz) butter, softened

400g (14oz) icing sugar

• You will need two 20cm (8in) round, loose-bottomed sandwich tins and a baking sheet lined with nonstick baking paper. Preheat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4, then grease the tins and line each base with a disc of baking paper.
• Dissolve the coffee granules in the hot water and stir until smooth. Measure the eggs, baking spread, sugar, flour and baking powder into a large mixing bowl and add the dissolved coffee mix.
• Beat with an electric hand whisk until well mixed and no lumps remain. Divide between the tins and level the tops.
• Bake in the oven for about 30 minutes until well risen and just shrinking away from the sides of the tins. Leave to cool slightly, then remove from the tins and leave to cool on a wire rack.
• For the praline, measure the sugar and 4 tbsp of water into a saucepan. Stir slowly over a low heat until the sugar has dissolved and you have a clear syrup. Remove the spoon and stop stirring, then increase the heat and boil until the syrup is pale golden. Add the hazelnuts and swirl the syrup in the pan to coat them, then quickly tip the mixture on to the lined baking sheet. Leave to cool and harden into a praline. Break up the praline on a wooden board and chop into very small pieces.
• For the buttercream icing, dissolve the coffee in the hot water and stir until smooth. Measure the butter into a large bowl. Beat until smooth with an electric hand whisk, then add the coffee mixture and the sugar, a little at a time, and beat until smooth, light and fluffy.
• Sit one cake on a plate. Spread with half the buttercream icing and sprinkle with half the praline. Sit the second cake on top and spread with the remaining buttercream, then sprinkle over the rest of praline. Cut into slices to serve.