1. Preheat the oven to 190°C/fan 170°C (375°F) Gas 5.

2. Put the eggs, both sugars and the oil into a mixing bowl. Mix together with a hand-held electric whisk (or use a stand mixer with the whisk attachment) at a medium speed.

3. In a separate bowl, sift the flour, bicarbonate of soda/baking soda, cinnamon, mixed spice and salt together. Mix the dry ingredients and the grated carrots into the egg mixture.

4. Divide the cake batter between the three prepared pans and bake in the preheated oven for 45 minutes until the sponges spring back to the touch. Remove from the oven (leaving the oven on) and leave to cool in the pans.

5. For the pecan crumb, roast the pecans on a baking sheet in the preheated oven for 15-20 minutes until fragrant. Reserve 12 for decoration and blitz the rest to a crumb in a food processor with the soft light brown sugar and maple syrup.

6. Prepare the digestive crumb. Prepare the cream cheese custard, then the buttercream. Warm the cream cheese just to room temperature in the microwave in a short burst, then mix with the vanilla and fold gently into the buttercream.

7. Turn out the sponges and trim the tops flat, saving the scraps. Line the sides of one of the pans that you baked the sponges in with a double layer of greaseproof baking parchment, about 15 cm/6 inches high. Add the first sponge, then spoon over 50 g/5½ oz. buttercream in blobs, do the same with the cheese custard. Scatter over a third of the pecan crumb, then 3½ tablespoons of digestive crumb.Repeat for the next layer. Add the top layer and smooth the remaining buttercream over. Refrigerate for 1-2 hours.

MAKES ABOUT 450G/16 OZ.

1. Preheat the oven to 190°C/ fan 170°C (375°F) Gas 5.

2. Mix together all the ingredients by hand in a bowl until resembling fine breadcrumbs. Tip onto a baking sheet lined with greaseproof baking parchment and bake in the preheated oven for 15-20 minutes until lightly golden.

3. Fork through the mixture as it cools to create fine crumbs.

MAKES ABOUT 300 G/10½ OZ.

1. Combine the double/heavy cream and cornflour/cornstarch in a saucepan and whisk together until smooth. Add the eggs and whisk in until fully combined. Place the saucepan over a low-medium heat and cook for about 10-12 minutes, whisking, until thickened.

2. Remove from the heat.

3. Melt the white chocolate in the microwave in short bursts.

MAKES ABOUT 900G/2 LB.

1. Stir together the egg whites and sugar in a heatproof bowl. Place over a pan of gently simmering water (making sure that the base of the bowl does not touch the water).

2. Heat gently, stirring occasionally, for about 20 minutes or until the sugar has dissolved.You can check this by rubbing some between your fingertips - it should not be grainy.

3. Remove the bowl from the pan and use a hand-held electric whisk (or a stand mixer with a whisk attachment) to whisk for about 10-15 minutes until cool with stiff peaks.

4. Add the softened butter and whisk for a further 5-7 minutes until light cream in colour. Stir in the vanilla paste. It should have the consistency of medium-soft whipped cream, and be very easy to pipe and spread.