As I sit here, I'm eating this cake. Yes, you should be jealous, because it's good . In fact, this simple gluten free chocolate cake is now 3days old and it's better than the day it was baked. It's mellowed, become richer . The frosting has helped to trap the moisture inside and keep it that way, like making fruit mince from scratch, you need to leave it for a while for the fruit to taste so good. Don't get me wrong, though, this cake is perfectly F. I. N. E on the first day it's made. In fact it reminds me of my childhood, or at least of chocolate cupcakes, as my Mum always made a very fudgy chocolate cake for birthdays. These were covered in what is lovingly referred to as 'kids icing' in our home (the kind that's mainly icing sugar with a dob of butter and boiling water whisked into an icing sugar-like paste, add preferred flavourings as desired). In fact, it's funny that this cake was thought up and baked right before my Mum sent me a reminder of my childhood in the form of one of my favourite movie stars, the all singing, all dancing, cute as a button, one and only Shirley Temple. Yep, I loved her movies as a child and I still do now. Watching this clip certainly brought back memories as well as a little sing-a-long!

This gluten free chocolate cake has a soft crumb, perfect with whipped cream and strawberries, or as in my case, cream whipped with nuttella, sandwiched together, coated with rich chocolate ganache and topped with roasted hazelnuts. A-la-gluten-free-ferrero-rocher-cake!

This of course, all makes absolutely no sense, as, back in the day when I actually could eat those lumpy little chocolates given so often at christmas, well, I erm... didn't eat them. Nope. Didn't like them. I made lots of friends with this choice of chocolate-distate. Yes. Yes, I did. I'm not prooud of it, but hey.... this post isn't actually about me and my dislike for fererro rocher chocolates, because it's defunct now as fererro recher chocolates are not gluten free (I've checked the last three christmases and passed them to my man - much to his delight!)

In fact, this little cake, and I emphasize little as this is a mini cake, was baked out of the desire for chocolate cake (I'm female after all, and if the female bit doesn't apply to you and you are reading this, then the excuse is you're human!) it's also a good friend's birthday today. So, Miss M, my wo-worker who became a friend, who fell in love with my little brother and who will therefore, forever be my sister. You see that is a bond that can't be broken to me, falling in love with my little brother takes guts and a whole lotta patience (love ya J!). So, Miss M, on this, your birthday, I give you a triple chocolate, hazelnut layer cake - I hope you like it , cos I'm enjoying a piece for you, over here on the opposite side of Australia - HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

Gluten Free Triple Chocolate, Hazelnut Layer Cake

This cake has been made in three 10cm cake tins and assembled using two of them (the third one is what I like to call a tester, a bonus!). The gluten free chocolate cake recipe can be baked as one 20cm cake (cooking time would be around 35-40minutes). This recipe has three elements, simply follow the below recipes, the cream and ganache will need to be doubled for the 20cm cake.

Gluten Free Chocolate Cake

Three x 10cm cakes

125g butter

45g dark chocolate, chopped

20g cocoa powder

2eggs

50g castor sugar

70g brown sugar

85g rice flour

20g cornflour

1tsp gluten free baking powder

1Tblspn milk

Preheat oven oven to 175degrees celcius. Line selected baking trays (as above) with baking paper.

Place the butter in a small saucepan over low heat and melt. Add the chocolate and cocoa and stir to combine and until the chocolate has melted. Remove from heat and allow to cool.

In a large bowl whisk together the eggs and sugar until light and creamy. Add the chocolate mixture and stir to combine. Whisk in the remaining ingredients until just combined.

Pour into cake tin(s) and bake for approximately 23-25minutes for the three10cm tins.

Allow to cool in tins for ten minutes before turning out onto wire racks to cool completely.

Hazelnut Cream

125ml cream

2Tblspn Nutella

Whisk the cream until thick. Add in the Nutella and whisk until that of whisked cream.

Chocolate Ganache

100g dark choc

65ml cream

Bring the cream to boiling point in a small saucepan. Remove from heat and stir in chocolate. Continue to stir until chocolate is melted and smooth. Allow to cool until ganache is of a thick pourable consistency.

To assemble layer cake

Cut the tops off of two of the cakes, so that they are level. Place one cake top up onto your serving platter, spread a quarter of the nutella cream on top of the cake and sandwich with the second cake, cut side down. Cover with the remaining nutella cream. Place in the freezer to set for 15minutes.

Remove from freezer and pour the cooled (but still pourable) chocolate ganache over the top to create drips. Top with roasted hazelnuts and ta-da!

As perviously mentioned this cake gets better with time, so keep in an airtight container in the fridge for a day or so, or if a fridge isn't such a good idea make the nutella cream into a buttercream frosting, as it will keep better.

This recipe is nut free if the Nutella cream and roasted hazelnuts are omitted.