Step 1

Preheat oven to 180°C/160°C fan-forced. Grease a deep 22cm-square cake pan with butter.

Step 2

Beat eggs in a small bowl with an electric mixer about 10 minutes or until thick and creamy. Add caster sugar, one tablespoon at a time, beating until sugar is dissolved between additions. Transfer to a large bowl.

Step 3

Sift flours together twice into a separate bowl, and then sift a third time over the egg mixture, then fold ingredients together. Spread mixture into pan.

Step 4

Bake sponge for 25 minutes. Turn sponge out immediately, top-side up, onto a wire rack lined with baking paper to cool.

Step 5

Meanwhile, dissolve coffee in the water in a small heatproof jug. Stir in marsala and liqueur. Cool.

Step 6

Beat mascarpone and icing sugar in a small bowl with an electric mixer until smooth. Beat in cream and 1/3 cup of the coffee mixture.

Step 7

Split sponge cake in half vertically, then each of the halves in half horizontally. Place one of the cake rectangle on a serving plate, cut side up. Brush with a quarter of the remaining coffee mixture, then spread with 2/3 cup of mascarpone mixture. Repeat layering process, finishing with cake, cut-side down. Spread remaining mascarpone mixture on top and sides of cake. Refrigerate cake for 2 hours.

Step 8

To serve, decorate cake with coarsely chopped Vienna almonds.