One-bowl chocolate birthday cake with malted milk ball frosting

Dump the dry ingredients, including the sifted cocoa powder, into a very large bowl and whisk.

Add four eggs and two yolks to the centre and whisk them there to break them up, then add buttermilk and vegetable oil, still whisking in the centre.

Drizzle in a cup and a half of hot water to bloom the cocoa and whisk everything into a thick batter.

Add plenty of vanilla paste.

Spray two half sheet trays with cooking spray, lay in parchment, spray again including the edges, then dust with cocoa and tap out the excess.

Divide the batter between the trays by eye and bake one at a time in the centre of the oven.

Melt the chocolate slowly in a double boiler.

Melt granulated sugar with three tablespoons of water in a very hot pan and bring to 238F.

Beat two whole eggs with the salt.

With the mixer on low, pour the hot syrup slowly down the side of the bowl, then raise the speed to build volume and cool the mixture.

Add the butter one tablespoon at a time, letting each incorporate, then the milk powder, vanilla and the melted chocolate cooled to about room temperature.

Flip each cake onto a rack, peel off the paper, and flip again onto the sheet tray so the top is undamaged.

Set the first layer top side down on a board, spread roughly half the frosting leaving a border, set on the second layer and swirl the rest on top.

Hand crush and finely chop dark and milk chocolate malted milk balls and scatter them over the top.