Chocolate cakes

Chocolate is the flavour I'm asked for most often in Asansol, and it isn't one cake — it's a whole range. A chocolate truffle sponge is soft, dark and not too sweet; a chocolate overload is layered with ganache, crumbs and a thick drip down the sides; a two-tone cake keeps half the family happy when one half wants vanilla. All of them are eggless, because everything from my kitchen is.

For a chocolate cake I usually suggest going one size up. Ganache and drip finishes are rich, so people take smaller slices but come back for a second — a 1 pound comfortably covers four to six people, while a 2 pound suits a house full of guests. In Asansol's summer heat I set ganache firmer and recommend collecting the cake closer to your cutting time so the drip keeps its shape.

Tell me on WhatsApp whether you want milk, dark or a mix, and whether the cake should read as elegant or messy-and-loaded. I'll match the sponge, the filling and the finish to that.