To make this amazing looking cake first, pre-heat your oven to Gas mark 4 (or equivalent see conversion charts), and grease and line two round cake tins. Cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add in the eggs one at a time, beating well between each addition. Sieve in the flour, cocoa powder, and baking powder, then gently fold in making sure you get right down to the bottom of the bowl. Divide the cake batter evenly between the cake tins (you can weigh them if you like), and place in your pre- heated oven for 20-25 minutes.
Whilst you are waiting for your cakes, you can make the antlers. Draw around an antler template, twice, on greaseproof paper. Carefully spread the melted chocolate into the template then place two bamboo skewers into the bottom of each. Place in the fridge to set. Once your cakes are ready allow to cool for a few minutes in the tins then turn out on to a wire rack to completely cool down. Meanwhile, you can make the first batch of buttercream. Beat the butter in a bowl until its soft, and pale in colour. Gradually sieve in the icing sugar, a few tablespoons at a time, and beat well until all the icing sugar has been added. Sieve in the cocoa powder and beat well followed by the milk, which will loosen the buttercream slightly.
Spread a ¼ of the butter cream onto the completely cooled bottom sponge then place the other sponge on top. Continue to spread the rest of the buttercream on top and around the sides of the cake until it is completely covered. Don’t worry about it being too neat. Make up a second batch of buttercream as before. Now spoon this butter cream until a piping bag fitted with a star nozzle.
Pipe the icing onto the cake, starting at the bottom and working your way around and up the cake until it has been completely iced. Roll a golf ball sized amount of red icing between your hands to make the nose. Push a cocktail stick through it then gently push it into the front of the cake. Make two flat circles out of white icing and roll up two small balls of black icing. Push the black balls into the white circles, these will be the eyes, and place them onto the cake, above the nose. Take the chocolate antlers out of the fridge, remove from the greaseproof paper, and carefully push them into the top of the cake. This is a really affective looking cake that will impress everyone this Christmas, enjoy!