Vanilla Cake

1. Using a standing mixer, start off by whipping your eggs, sugar and vanilla until fluffy and doubled in size, about 15-20 minutes
2. Sift in the flour, cornstarch and salt. Fold this in using a spatula while trying to maintain as much air as possible
3. Pour the batter into a prepared pan and bake for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick comes out with a few crumbs
4. Leave the cake to cool completely before decorating

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Coffee simple syrup

1. Mix your sugar, coffee and water into a saucepan and stir over medium heat until the sugar is dissolved
2. Set the syrup aside to cool down

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Nougatine

1. Add the water & sugar to a pan and heat over medium heat until caramel forms
2. Pour the caramel over the hazelnuts and let this cool completely
3. Once cooled, break the caramel hazelnuts into chunks and add them to a food processor or a cutting board. Roughly chop the caramel and hazelnut by pulsing the food processor or chopping it by hand
4. Add the chopped nuts to a frying pan and roast over medium heat until the hazelnut starts to cluster
5. Set aside until needed 

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Mocha buttercream

1. Whip your butter until pale and fluffy using a stand mixer fitter with the butterfly attachment, for about 8-10 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl if necessary
2. Add the powdered sugar, salt & vanilla and beat until combined
3. Add your pastry cream and mix the buttercream using the lowest speed until fully incorporated
4. Lastly, add your espresso and keep mixing until it is fully incorporated
5. If you want all the air bubbles to be gone from your buttercream, keep mixing on the lowest speed for about 15 minutes and you’ll have a silky smooth buttercream

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Chocolate ganache

1. Heat your cream over medium heat and pour this over your chocolate, leave this to melt for a minute. Add your liquor at this stage if you’re using this
2. Then mix until smooth

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Assembly

1. Slice your cake into layers and drench each layer with coffee simple syrup
2. Add a thin layer of buttercream on your bottom cake layer and pipe a dam around the edges
3. Pour in your chocolate ganache and close off the layer with more buttercream
4. Repeat this process until you have reached your final cake layer
5. Top your cake with the last layer of cake and cover the cake entirely with the buttercream
6. Coat the edge of the cake with the nougatine
7. Decorate your cake using whipped cream and mocha chocolate beans and enjoy!

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