Christmas cherry chocolate trifle cake

Phil Vickery has some very clear views on trifle. Firstly, no jelly (apparently the Queen's pâtissier doesn't use it at her request and if it's good enough for her Majesty it's good enough for Phil). Also he likes plenty of sponge so he decided to reinvent it altogether with a Christmas cherry chocolate trifle cake. But will it make it onto Holly's christmas table along with Phil's turkey? Well you know what they say the proof is in the... trifle cake?

Preparation time: 20 minutes

Cooking time: about 1 hour

Ingredients225g soft stork225g caster sugar225g sieved plain flour50g sieved cocoa powder1 heaped tsp baking powder4 medium eggs, at room temp2 tsp vanilla essence1 x 75g packet, instant custard300g white chocolate, finely chopped150g chopped bitter chocolate, finely chopped250g cherries in syrup, drained well1 pint lightly whipped double cream, with a little icing sugar to tastechopped flakeschocolate vermicelli

Method

• Preheat the oven to 180° C / gas 4

• Beat the stork and sugar together until nice and creamy

• Add 2 beaten eggs and beat again

• Add the other 2 eggs, sieved flour, cocoa and baking powders and fold through carefully

• Divide between 3 8 inch sandwich tins, then bake for 15-20 minutes, or until well risen and cooked through, then cool

• Divide the instant custard into 2 clean bowls (35g each), and then pour 150ml of boiling water onto each, whisking well

• Add the chopped chocolates to each custard and whisk well to dissolve completely. Cool until thickened.

• Spread the plain chocolate custard onto one of the sponges and then sprinkle with a few cherries and a little whipped cream

• Top with the second sponge, then top with the white chocolate sponge and sprinkle with a few more cherries and a little whipped cream

• Top with the final sponge and press down lightly

• Pipe the whipped cream nicely around the cake, then top with the last few cherries and flakes, dust well with icing sugar, silver or gold leaf and chocolate vermicelli and flakes

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