Ingredients

• 
  For the Cake:
• 1 1/4 cups butter, unsalted, softened
• 1 1/4 cups dark brown sugar
• 5 whole eggs
• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 1/2 teaspoons Argo® Baking Powder
• 1/4 cup cocoa powder
• 8 tablespoons hot water, boiling
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 
  For the Buttercream:
• 3-3/4 cups icing sugar
• 1/2 cups butter, unsalted, softened
• 1/4 cup cocoa powder
• 4 tablespoons milk
• 1 tablespoon Karo® Light Corn Syrup
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 1 dash salt
• 
  For the Filling:
• 1 1/4 cup candy covered chocolate

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease three 8-inch cake pans.

In a large bowl cream together the butter and sugar for 3 to 4 minutes and light and fluffy. Gradually add the eggs one at a time, mixing in between.

Sift the flour, baking powder, salt and fold into the butter mixture. In a separate small bowl mix together the cocoa powder and boiling water stirring to form a thick paste. Add the cocoa mix to the cake batter and mix well.

Pour 1/3 of the cake batter into each grease cake pan. Bake the cakes for 25 to 30 minutes, or until a toothpick come out clean when inserted in the centre of the cake. Remove from the oven and place on a wire rack to cool.

Once cakes have completed cooled, cut a 4-inch circle out of 2 of the cake layers using a round cookie cutter.

Place the bottom base on a cake board or work cake stand that you want to present your cake on (it will be difficult to move once filled).

Spread a thin layer of buttercream on the bottom layer of your cake (not covering the hole) and place the second layer on top. And repeat. Fill the hole in the center with your chocolate sweets. Top with the remaining cake layer without the hole on top to seal in the sweets. With the remaining buttercream spread generously on the outside of the cake.

Decorate with sprinkles and serve.

For the Buttercream:

Beat butter, cocoa, corn syrup, vanilla and salt in a large mixer bowl until light and fluffy. Gradually beat in powdered sugar and milk until fluffy, adding additional milk, 1 teaspoon at a time, as needed, to reach desired spreading consistency.