Preheat oven to 160 ℃ or 325 ℃ . Grease an 7 inch round pan with butter , dust with flour and line the bottom with parchment .

In a saucepan , heat chopped chocolate , cubed butter and milk together until the chocolate n butter have melted. Keep warm.

Whisk together the flour, salt and baking powder . Keep aside.

Using an electric mixer or whisk, whip the eggs with the sugar and vanilla until triple in volume and pale in colour . If you lift your beater or whisk and draw an eight on the top of the batter , you should be able to see the whole 8 before it disappears.

Add the flour mixture and beat on low until combined.

Add the chocolate-butter-milk mixture and beat until smooth.

Pour batter into prepared pan .

Bake for 40- 50 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out dry. The top will be golden brown and edges will be coming away from the sides.

Cool in pan for ten minutes and gently unmould. Cool completely.

Remove the pits from the plums and chop them fine. Do not peel !

In a thick bottomed saucepan, add the chopped plums, lime juice, sugar and spices.

Bring to boil , until all the sugar dissolves.

Lower the heaat and continue cooking , stirring occasionally until the mixture becomes thick. The plums will break down and soften. Check for taste and add sugar / lime juice as needed.

Once it reaches desired consistency , take off heat , remove the cinnamon stick and stir in the vanilla .

Cool to room temperature before using.

Whisk together flour, sugar and salt in a saucepan.

Add the milk and whisk until combined

Place saucepan over low heat and whisk continuously as the mixture comes to a boil

Once it boils , cook for 1-2 minutes, then take the pan off the heat and whisk for a minute or so. It should be lump free and smooth

Transfer the pudding into another bowl or plate . Cover it with plastic wrap, pressing the plastic wrap directly onto the pudding. This prevents a skin from forming. Let the pudding to cool to room temperature

Once the pudding is cool, beat the butter until fluffy and pale,.This will take 5-10 minutes using an electric mixer and much longer using a wooden spoon or whisk ( but doable).

Once the butter is really smooth and pale (important!) , add the cooled pudding one tablespoon at a time, mixing or beating well after each addition

After all the pudding has been added, mix or beat for another 3-5 minutes. The buttercream should be smooth and creamy.

Melt the white chocolate and mix into the frosting !

Slice cooled cake into three horizontally using a serrated knife.

Place one layer on a cake board or plate.

Spread about 1/4 cup frosting on top. This is so that the compote doesnt seep into the cake.

Using a piping bag with a round tip or corner cut off , pipe a ring of frosting along the outer edge of the cake layer. This acts as a dam so the compote doesnt seep into your outside frosting.

Spread half of the compote on the layer within the frosting dam.

Place the next layer on top , press gently . Spread buttercream, dam and spread compote as above.

Place the last layer. Press gently.

Place about one cup of buttercream on top . and using a spatula , spread on the top and sides of the cake as smoothly as possible.

Chill for some time.

Now, smoothen the frosting further and pipe / decorate as you wish !