For the Cake

Preheat oven to 180C/ 350F.

Line a 6 inch cake tin with baking parchment, or three individual 6 inch cake tins.

Using a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, beat the butter until softened. Alternatively, you can make the cake batter, in a large mixing bowl, by hand or with an electric hand whisk.

Add the dark muscovado sugar and vanilla bean paste beat until well mixed.

Add the eggs, one at a time, to the mixture. Beat well between adding each egg, until the mixture is thick. Don't worry if it starts to curdle.

Sift the flour, cinnamon and ginger together, and add half to the mixture. Gently mix together.

Add half of the milk and mix well.

Repeat with the remaining milk and flour, and gently mix together until the cake batter is soft and smooth.

Pour the cake batter into the lined cake tin, or split evenly between the cake tins.

Bake for 20-25 minutes, until golden brown or a skewer inserted comes out clean.

Allow the cake(s) to cool in the tin for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool.

For the Frosting

In a large bowl or stand mixer, beat the butter until soft.

Add half the icing sugar and vanilla bean paste. Beat until smooth.

Add the half the flour and half the milk. Beat until smooth.

Add the remaining icing sugar, flour and milk. Beat until smooth.

If the frosting is too stiff, add a tbsp of whole milk and beat until smooth.

Put half of the frosting into a separate bowl, and with the remaining half beat in the espresso, a little at a time, until smooth.

To Assemble the Cake

Using a large serrate knife, level the top of the cake and spilt into 6 layers of equal thickness, or if baked in 3 cake tins split each layer in half.

Fix the 'bottom' layer to a 6 inch cake board with a little of the frosting.

Using a palette knife, spread about 3-4 tablespoons of the espresso frosting evenly across the bottom layer, place the next layer on top, and repeat.

Top the cake with the final layer, bottom-side up, and spread the vanilla frosting on the top and sides of the cake. Use a palette knife or cake side scrapper to take off the excess buttercream and give a smooth finish.

Chill the frosted cake for 15 minutes in the fridge, to allow the layer of frosting to firm up.

Add another layer of frosting to the top and sides of the cake, and remove the excess.

Chill the frosted cake for another 15 minutes in the fridge.

Cover the bottom of a baking tray with chocolate sprinkles, and place the chilled cake in the centre. Using clean hands, smooth the sprinkle up the sides of the cake, as high as you want to go.

Pipe small mounds of frosting on top of the cake, and sprinkle with cocoa powder.