Chocolate tiramisu cake

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/fan160°C/gas 4. Grease and line 2 x 20cm cake tins with baking paper, then set aside. Put the flour, ground almonds, baking powder and a good pinch of salt in a mixing bowl and mix together well.
2. In another large mixing bowl, beat the butter and the 200g caster sugar together with an electric hand mixer (or use a stand mixer) until light and fluffy. Beat in the melted chocolate, then gradually beat in the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the vanilla extract and buttermilk, then fold in the dry ingredients.
3. Divide the batter evenly among the prepared cake tins, then bake for 20-25 minutes until a skewer pushed into the centre of each sponge comes out clean. Remove the cakes from the oven and cool in the tins for 5 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
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4. To make the syrup, put the espresso, 100ml amaretto and 150g sugar in a small pan over a low-medium heat. Allow the sugar to dissolve, then bubble for a few minutes until it forms a very light syrup. Set aside.
5. For the icing, beat the mascarpone with the icing sugar, vanilla and 2 tbsp amaretto in a mixing bowl until smooth. In another bowl, whip the cream until it holds its shape, then fold into the mascarpone mix.
6. To assemble, slice both cooled sponges horizontally through the middle (or see additional tip). Put a sponge on a serving plate, then drizzle over a quarter of the syrup. Spread over a little of the icing and scatter with grated chocolate. Top with another sponge, the syrup, icing and chocolate. Repeat once more. Top with the fourth sponge, then drizzle over the remaining syrup. Spread the remaining icing over the top and sides of the cake, then decorate with the remaining grated chocolate.