Chocolate, spice and honey cake

1. Preheat the oven to 180ºC, gas mark 4. Grease and line the base and sides of 2 x 20cm cake tins with parchment. Heat the cream and Drambuie in a pan until just steaming. Take off the heat, tip in the chocolate and stir until evenly melted; set aside. In a separate bowl, using electric beaters, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the honey until combined, then the eggs one at a time until incorporated. Use a spatula to stir in the melted chocolate mixture.

2. Add the flour, spices, baking powder and salt, then stir to a smooth batter. Divide between the cake tins and bake for 20-25 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre of the cakes comes out clean. Cool in the tins on a wire rack.

3. For the ganache, melt the chocolate in a mixing bowl set over a pan of barely simmering water; set aside and cool for 5 minutes. In 3 additions, stir in the soured cream, until fully combined. Next stir in the honey and finally the Drambuie. If at any point the ganache stiffens up too much, return the bowl to the pan of water to warm through a little.

4. To assemble, remove both cakes from the tins and peel away the parchment. Put one cake on a plate or cake stand and spread the top with a layer of ganache. Sit the second cake on top and spread all over with the icing, covering both sponges. Scatter a little grated chocolate on top, if liked.