Chocolate Easter flower cakes

This is a really good sponge with a slightly sunken appearance, made with ground almonds and cocoa. It is never dry, and can be left whole to make a large cake, or cut into pieces to make 16 little decorated Easter cakes. Ingredients 350g caster sugar 350g softened unsalted butter 8 eggs, separated 75g cocoa powder mixed to a thick paste with a little hot water 1 tsp vanilla essence 300g ground almonds ¾ tsp cream of tartar For the chocolate glaze 200g 60 per cent dark chocolate; 50g unsalted butter – melted together in a bowl over simmering water Decorations Crystallised flowers (available from Sarah Hughes at Eat My Flowers, 01490 412039; eatmyflowers.co.uk) or sugar coated Easter eggs, or other decorations. Method • Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4. Butter the base of a 25cm square cake tin and dust it lightly with flour. Line the sides with baking paper. • Beat the sugar and butter together until pale and fluffy; then beat in the egg yolks one by one. Fold in the cocoa, vanilla essence and ground almonds. In a separate bowl, whisk the egg whites to stiff peaks, adding the cream of tartar at the end. Fold them into the mixture, pour it into the tin and bake for about 40 minutes, until the sponge feels firm to the touch. Cool in the tin for 10 minutes then gently turn out onto a rack. The sponge will sink as it cools. When cold, cut the cake into squares and dribble warm chocolate glaze over each. Place the crystallised flowers or other decorations on the cakes when the icing has set. £ Marzipan and Easter cake cases are available from janeasher.com £ Next week: French baking for breakfast. You will need 350g best French butter, plain flour, eggs – with nice deep yellow yolks – plus fresh or dried yeast, and some small terracotta flower pots.