Afternoon Tea Anyone?

This is my White Chocolate Cappucino Cake taken from my Good Housekeeping Chocolate Collection. I made this yesterday morning, wrapped it in clingfilm and put it in the fridge until I got around to icing it today for a Sunday treat. It keeps very well in the fridge and I think tastes all the better having had the time to settle.

You should get about ten slices out of this , its a good one for having a few friends around on a summers afternoon.

300g softened butter
250g self raising flour
200g caster sugar
3 large eggs
11/2 tsp baking powder
50ml milk
1tsp vanilla extract
125g white chocolate
125ml double cream
1-2 tbsp espresso coffee, cooled
50g plain chocolate
40g ready roasted chopped hazelnuts

Preheat the oven to 180 degrees celcius. Grease an 8in round cake tin and dust with flour.

Beat together 175g of the butter and the caster sugar until pale and creamy. Gradually add the eggs, beating well after each addition. Add 1tbsp of the flour if the mixture looks like curdling. Fold in the remaining flour and the baking powder, followed by the milk and vanilla. Spoon into the tin and level the surface. Bake for 40 - 50 mins or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Cool in the tin for 5 mins, then remove the cake and cool completely on a wire rack.

Cut the cake in half horizontally. Grate 25g of the white chocolate, then beat together with the cream and coffee until the mix holds its shape. Use to sandwich the two halves together.

Melt the remaining white chocolate in a bowl set over a pan of gently simmering water, making sure the base doesnt touch the water. Leave to cool for 10 mins.

Beat together the remaining butter and the icing sugar until pale and creamy. Beat in the cooled white chocolate until combined. Spread over the top and sides of the cake. Mix together the plain chocolate and nuts and press around the side of the cake.

Decorate as you wish......enjoy!!