1. Preheat the oven to 180°C, 350°F, Gas 4. Grease 3 x 20cm/8in cake tins, then line the bases with baking paper and lightly dust them with flour.

2. To make the sponges, melt the butter and leave to cool slightly.

3. Whisk the eggs in a stand mixer using the whisk attachment. Add the sugar and whisk on medium for 5-7 minutes until thick and mousse-like and it leaves a ribbon trail when you lift the whisk.

4. Sift the plain flour, baking powder and salt into the bowl. Add the ground almonds and, using a large metal spoon, gently fold into the wet ingredients.

5. Pour the melted butter around the inside edge of the bowl and gently fold in. Divide the mixture equally between the lined tins and level with a palette knife. Bake on the middle shelves of the preheated oven for about 20 minutes until golden, well risen and a skewer inserted into the centres comes out clean.

6. Leave the cakes to cool in the tins for 2 minutes, then turn onto a wire rack to cool completely.

7. To make the coffee syrup, pour the hot coffee into a bowl, add the sugar and stir until dissolved. Leave to cool.

8. For the mascarpone filling, whisk the egg yolks, sugar, marsala or amaretto and salt in a large heatproof bowl until fully combined. Set the bowl over a pan of simmering water and continue whisking for about 5 minutes until the mixture is hot to the touch, very thick and tripled in volume. Remove from the heat and plunge the bottom of the bowl into a sink of cold water to stop the cooking process. Whisk occasionally until cold.

9. Melt the white chocolate in a separate heatproof bowl set over a pan of barely simmering water. Stir until smooth and remove from the heat, then leave to cool slightly. Beat the mascarpone until smooth. Fold it and the melted white chocolate into the cooled egg mixture until combined and smooth.

10. Using a long, serrated knife, slice each sponge in half horizontally. Place 1 sponge layer in the bottom of a 20cm/8in springform tin, brush generously with the coffee syrup, then spread with 2 heaped tbsp of the mascarpone mixture. Scatter with 1 tbsp of the grated dark chocolate and top with another sponge layer.

11. Repeat until you top with the final sponge. You will have mascarpone mixture and grated chocolate left over – cover each and chill until needed. Press the stacked sponges together, cover and chill for at least 2 hours.

12. Remove the cake from the tin to a serving plate. Cover the top and sides with the remaining mascarpone mixture, then press the remaining grated chocolate onto the sides to cover.

13. To decorate, whip the cream to soft peaks. Spoon it into a piping bag fitted with a medium plain nozzle and pipe little blobs over the top of the cake. Scatter with the chocolate-coated coffee beans and lightly dust with cocoa powder to serve.