Anyone who doubts that a feather light cake can be made without wheat flour should try this!

• Hazelnuts, skinned, roasted and lightly crushed – 100 g (4 oz)
• Margarine – 225 g (8 oz)
• Vanilla extract – 2 tsp
• Almond extract – 2 tsp
• Unsweetened cocoa powder – 4 tbsp
• Fructose – 200 g (7 oz)
• 4 medium eggs
• All-purpose wheat-free flour – 100 g (3½ oz)
• Baking powder – 1 tsp

For the frosting:

• Margarine – 225 g (8 oz)
• Vanilla extract – ¾ tsp
• Unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted – 12 tbsp
• Maple syrup – 1½ tbsp

Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/Gas 4. In a saucepan, melt the margarine with the vanilla and almond extracts and sifted cocoa powder until just melted. Do not boil. Stir and remove from the heat. In a mixing bowl, beat the fructose into the eggs until they become light and thick, using a balloon whisk or electric mixer. Do this thoroughly to achieve lightness in the finished sponge. Stir in the margarine mixture. Sift the flour and baking powder into the mixture and stir. Add the nuts and mix well.

Cut two circles of greaseproof paper/baling parchment and place in the bottom of two 25 cm/10 in round cake tins. Divide the mixture evenly between the two tins and bake for 20 minutes. The sponges will seem soft when removed from the oven and will come away from the sides of the tin if pulled gently with your fingers. Allow to cool for 5 minutes and then turn out on twp wire racks to cool.

Put all the frosting ingredients into a mixing bowl and using a balloon whisk or electric mixer, beat until thoroughly blended. Refrigerate until the cakes have completely cool. To assemble the cake, put one of the cakes bottom side up on an upturned plate. Cover with a layer of frosting. Then place the other cake on top, bottom side down and frost the top and sides. Refrigerate until time to serve.

Serves 8