Pineapple cake with chocolate sauce

1 Pre-heat your oven to 170 degrees Celsius, fan. Grease and line a 20cm high-sided cake tin.

2 For the sponge: Sieve the flour and bicarbonate of soda into a large mixing bowl. Add the butter (ensure it has been softened to room temperature), caster sugar, eggs and vanilla extract. Using an electric whisk, beat together all the ingredients until combined and smooth. Pour the batter into the prepared tin and level the top with a spatula.

3 Bake on the middle shelf of the pre-heated oven for approximately 40 minutes until well risen, and until a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean. Leave in the tin for 15 minutes, then remove from the tin, peel away the lining and transfer to a wire rack to cool.

4 For the pineapple cream filling: In a small saucepan, heat 60ml tinned pineapple juice (or syrup), lime juice, caster sugar and glucose together. Pour the hot liquid over the white chocolate chips and stir well. Whisk in the butter to a smooth, creamy consistency. Fold in the lime zest.

5 To assemble the cake: Once the cake is cool, slice through the middle to give two halves. Drizzle five tablespoons of reserved pineapple juices from the tin, evenly over the surface of each sponge layer. Spread pineapple cream over one half of the cake, followed by a layer of the whipped cream. Scatter on about 100g of the pineapple pieces, or to taste, (patted dry of excess juice), before covering with the second sponge.

6 For the chocolate topping: Place the chocolate, cream and butter in a small saucepan. Melt over a gentle heat, and stir until smooth. Spread the chocolate sauce over the top of the cake. Once the chocolate has set, before serving, garnish with more pineapple pieces.