Semi-Naked Mud Cake with Lemon Elderflower Curd

Combine half of each the butter, chocolate, sugar and milk in a large saucepan. Stir over a low heat until chocolate is melted and sugar is dissolved. Transfer to a large bowl. Stand for 30 minutes.

Sift half the combined flours over chocolate mixture. Add half the eggs. Whisk until combined. Divide between prepared pans.

Cook in a moderately slow oven (160C) for about 1 hour, or until cooked when tested. Stand in pans for 30 minutes. Turn out onto a wire rack. Cover with a clean tea towel until cold. Repeat with remaining ingredients to make another two cakes.

To make curd, place all ingredients in a large metal bowl sitting over a saucepan of simmering water. Whisk for about 8 minutes, or until slightly thickened. Transfer to a heat-proof jug. Cover surface with plastic wrap. Refrigerate until cold.

To make buttercream, beat butter in a large bowl of an electric mixer until pale. Gradually beat in 1⁄2 cup sugar at a time, until combined. Beat in milk and colour.

Transfer 1 1⁄2 cups buttercream to a bowl. Fold in curd.

Trim tops of cakes to sit at. Place one cake on a cake board. Spread top with 2∕3 of a cup curd mixture, leaving a 1cm border around edge. Top with another cake. Repeat layering with remaining curd mixture and cakes.

Thinly spread remaining buttercream over top and around side of cake, scraping away excess to create the semi-naked look. Refrigerate for 30 minutes until cold.

To make ganache, place chocolate and cream in a heat-proof bowl sitting over a pan of simmering water. Stir until smooth. Remove. Stir in a few drops of chocolate oil.

Spoon ganache into a disposable piping bag. Cut off tip, 2mm from the point. Starting at the edge, pipe ganache around cake, allowing it to drip down the side at intervals. Pipe remaining over the top, spreading to cover. Stand until set.

Decorate with flowers.