Salted Caramel Popcorn & Almond Cake

Preheat oven to 170°C. Lightly spray two 20cm springform cake tins with oil and line base and sides with baking paper.

In a large bowl, add eggs, sugar and vanilla and whisk for 5 minutes or until thick and doubled in volume. Gradually beat in oil until combined and set aside.

In a separate medium-sized bowl, combine almond meal with baking powder. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients in three additions, whisking between each addition, and whisk until just combined. Divide half the mixture between prepared cake tins and bake for 50-60 minutes or until cooked when tested with a skewer. Set aside to cool in tin for 15 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely. Regrease and reline cake tins and repeat with remaining mixture.

To make the salted caramel sauce, heat sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat, swirling pan to melt sugar evenly, then cook without stirring for 4 minutes or until sugar is dark amber in colour. Remove from heat and carefully add cream 1 tbs at a time, whisking well between each addition. Add salt, then place over low heat and whisk for 1 minute or until caramel is completely smooth. Set aside.

To assemble, sandwich cake layers with 1/2 a tub of cream per layer, a handful of sliced almonds and popcorn, and 2-3 tbs caramel sauce. Drizzle top of cake edges with salted caramel. Top cake with remaining cream.

In a medium-sized bowl, add remaining popcorn, almonds and 2-3 tbs salted caramel sauce and stir until combined and sticking together. Spoon mixture on top of cake and drizzle with remaining caramel sauce. Top with your preferred birthday cake toppers to serve.