Toffee popcorn fudge cake

Method

1. First infuse the cream for the ganache. Heat the 1 tsp oil in a saucepan over a medium-high heat. Add one piece of corn and cover with a lid then, once it pops, add the rest. Cook, covered, for about 4 minutes, shaking the pan regularly until it looks like most of the corn has popped, then remove from the heat, slide the lid open a touch so a little air can get into the pan and leave for 5 minutes to allow the rest of the corn to pop, giving it a shake every now and then to help. Add the cream, butter and a pinch of fine sea salt. Set over a medium heat, stirring regularly, until the butter has melted and the cream is steaming (but don’t boil). Take off the heat, cover with a lid and leave to infuse for 30 minutes.
2. Strain the popcorn cream through a sieve to remove the kernels (discard), then put the cream in a pan over a medium heat and heat through, stirring regularly, until almost simmering. Add the white chocolate and cook for 1 minute until melted and combined, then scrape into a bowl. Leave to cool, then chill for at least 2 hours until very cold.
3. Meanwhile, heat the oven to 180°C/160°C fan/gas 4. To make the cake, melt the butter, transfer to a medium bowl and set aside to cool. Grease the base of the cake tins with some of the melted butter, then line the bases. Combine the flour, both sugars, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and salt in a bowl.
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4. Use a balloon whisk to beat together the eggs, treacle, soured cream and vanilla in a large bowl until combined. Whisk the 120ml oil into the cooled melted butter, then mix in 280ml cold water. Combine with the egg mixture, then fold in the flour mixture with a rubber spatula until evenly mixed.
5. Divide the cake mixture between the 2 cake tins, then bake for 35-40 minutes until a skewer pushed into the middle comes out clean. Put the tins on a wire rack to cool for 10 minutes before turning them out and leaving to cool completely.
6. While the cake is cooling, make the toffee sauce. Put all the sauce ingredients in a pan over a low-medium heat until the butter has melted and everything has combined. Bring to the boil and simmer for 2 minutes, then pour into a jug and leave at room temperature to cool completely. Stir it every now and then – it will thicken as it cools.
7. Once the ganache is completely cold, use an electric mixer to beat it for a few minutes until it whips into a fluffy ganache. Spread half the whipped ganache onto one cake, then top with the other and decorate the top with the remaining ganache.
8. Drizzle two thirds of the toffee sauce over the top of the cake, then pile the toffee popcorn on top. Drizzle over the remaining toffee sauce to finish.