• 175g softened butter or margarine
• 150g caster sugar
• 3 eggs
• 150g self raising flour
• 25g cocoa powder
• 50ml cream liqueur

Butter cream:

• 150g softened butter
• 175g icing sugar
• 1tsp vanilla essence
• 30-50ml cream liqueur

1. Preheat the oven to 190°C/170fan/gas 5 and grease a log type tin or half-moon tin.
2. Beat together the butter and caster sugar until light and fluffy then gradually add the beaten eggs a little at a time.
3. Sift the flour and cocoa together and fold into the egg mixture.
4. Finally fold in the liqueur and spoon into the prepared tin.
5. Bake in the oven until risen and cooked through for about 35-40 minutes until springy to the touch. Leave in the tin for 10 minutes before turning out on a cooling rack to cool.
6. Meanwhile make the butter cream by beating the butter and vanilla essence until light and fluffy then gradually add the icing sugar and finally the liqueur.
7. Split the log in half and fill with some of the butter cream then sandwich together and cover with the remaining buttercream. Smooth and make bark like marks with a fork. Dust with cocoa powder and decorate with holly if you wish.

Recipe by Nerys Howell, originally featured on Prynhawn Da.