METHOD

1. Preheat oven to 160°C (325°F). Place the milk, sugars and vanilla in a large bowl and whisk to combine. Place the butter and chocolate in a medium saucepan over low heat and stir until melted and smooth. Add the eggs and chocolate mixture to the vanilla mixture and whisk to combine. Add the flour and cocoa and whisk to combine. Pour the mixture into a lightly greased 20cm x 10cm deep spring-form cake tin lined with non-stick baking paper. Cook for 1 hour 20 minutes–1 hour 30 minutes or until cooked when tested with a skewer. Allow to cool slightly 
in the tin before turning out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
   
2. While the cake is cooling, make the buttercream. Place the butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer and beat for 8–10 minutes or until pale and fluffy. Add the dulce de leche and salt and beat until just combined. Set aside. 
   
3. To make the honeycomb, line a large baking tray with non-stick baking paper and set aside. Place the sugar, honey and water in a medium saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the sugar has dissolved. Bring to the boil and cook, without stirring, for 9–10 minutes or until the temperature reaches 152°C (306°F) on a sugar (candy) thermometer. Working quickly, whisk in the bicarbonate 
of soda. Pour onto the tray and set aside to cool completely. 
   
4. To assemble, trim the top off the cake and cut into 3 even layers. Place the bottom layer on a stand. Place the buttercream in a piping bag fitted with a 1cm star-shaped piping nozzle. Pipe with half the buttercream, top with a second layer of cake and pipe with the remaining buttercream. Top with the final cake layer and top with crumbled honeycomb to serve. Serves 12. 


Note: Store excess honeycomb in an airtight container in the freezer 
for up to one month.