To make the cakes

1. Step 2 Grease and flour three 20cm cake tins and preheat the oven to 170c.

1. Step 3 In a large bowl, sieve together the flour, ginger, mixed spice, salt and baking powder and set aside. Cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. While still beating the mixture, add the eggs one at a time, adding a spoonful of flour mixture if it starts to curdle. Whisk in the black treacle.

1. Step 4 Pour the cake mixture into the prepared tins and bake for 25 minutes - or until the cakes spring back to the touch and an inserted skewer comes out clean.

1. Step 5 Set aside to cool for 5 minutes while you combine the milk and vanilla paste together.

1. Step 6 Remove the cakes from the tins and place on a wire rack. Brush each cake with the vanilla milk soak and leave to cool.

To make the brown buttercream

1. Step 8 Place the butter in a pan over a medium heat and cook while stirring from time to time. Don’t go away - watch the colour and smell the aromas carefully as the mixture can turn quickly. When the butter has turned light brown and smells nutty, remove from the heat. Don’t allow it to brown too much otherwise it will taste acrid. Set aside for at least 20 minutes to cool.

1. Step 9 Sieve the icing sugar in a stand mixer and add the brown butter and double cream. Whisk until it thickens. The brown buttercream can be made in advance and chilled.

To assemble the cakes

1. Step 11 Place the first sponge onto a serving plate. Drizzle a little honey over the sponge and add a twist of freshly milled black pepper. Then, pipe buttercream around the edge of the sponge before spooning jam into the middle. The buttercream forms a barrier that prevents the cakes from sliding around.

1. Step 12 Pipe buttercream over the jam. Add the next sponge and repeat the process. For the final sponge, add the drizzle of honey and black pepper and finish with a layer of buttercream. Add crumbled fudge around the circumference to decorate.