Devil's Food Cake With Matcha Dressing

Step 1: Preheat the oven to 180C or 160C fan forced.

Step 2: Grease and line two 20cm (8 inch) or 3 18cm (7 inch) round springform cake tins.

Step 3: Pour boiling water into a measuring jug and add the cocoa and whisk the mixture till smooth and let cool while you measure out all the remaining ingredients.

Step 4: Pour the remaining dry ingredients into the bowl of a standing electric mixer or use a large bowl and electric hand mixer.

Step 5: In another bowl, whisk the eggs, milk, oil and vanilla extract.

Step 6: When the cocoa mixture has cooled enough, whisk into the egg and milk mixture.

Step 7: On a slow speed, add the liquid to the dry until combined and beat for 1 minute on slow speed and then pour the mixture into the prepared tins.

Step 8: It will seem very liquid, but will bake up light.

Step 9: Bake for 35 to 40 minutes on the centre rack of the oven.

Step 10: Cool in the tins and then remove.

Step 11: To make the matcha frosting, in the bowl of the standing mixer, whisk the butter on slow speed for 6 to 7 minutes until pale and fluffy; it is imperative that your butter is at room temperature to a smooth, silky texture.

Step 12: Add the sifted icing sugar, two tablespoons at a time, keeping the speed slow and when finished, add the vanilla, sifted matcha and milk and keep beating until the mixture is very smooth and if it is too thick, add another tablespoon of milk.

Step 13: Place one cake on a serving platter and spread a thick layer of the frosting to sandwich the two or three cakes, ice the sides first and then the top.

Step 14: If you want to get a perfect finish, try 'crumbling' the cake by first spreading a thin layer of frosting around the cake until everything is smoothed at the same level.

Step 15: Place in the fridge for 1 hour and the cake will set.

Step 16: Remove and then ice the cake with more frosting.