John Whaite's Chocolate chiffon cake with salted caramel butter cream

 

Give this celebration sponge a showstopping finish by piping spikes of ganache on top and filling with salted caramel butter icing

  

Ingredients

• 125ml sunflower oil, plus extra for greasing
• 7 large eggs, separated
• 2 tsp vanilla bean paste
• 375g golden caster sugar
• 50g cocoa powder
• 300g plain flour
• 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda

For the salted caramel icing

• 250g light soft brown sugar
• 150ml double cream
• 140g butter, softened
• ½ tsp salt

For the ganache

• 250ml double cream
• 250g dark chocolate, finely chopped or grated
• sea salt crystals, to decorate

 

Method

1. Heat oven to 160C/140C fan/gas 3. Grease and line a 25cm round deep cake tin with baking parchment. In a large bowl, mix the oil, egg yolks, vanilla paste, caster sugar and 200ml water until well combined. Sift in the cocoa powder and whisk until smooth.
2. Sift in the flour, bicarb and 1 tsp salt. In a separate bowl, whisk the egg whites to stiff peaks. Fold into the batter with a large metal spoon and mix until everything is well combined.
3. Gently pour the mixture into your cake tin, then bang it on the work surface twice to expel any large air pockets. Bake for 1 hr 10 mins or until the cake springs back when gently prodded and an inserted skewer comes out clean. (Cover with foil after 1 hr if the cake starts to get too dark.) Remove from the oven, cool in the tin for 10 mins, then transfer to a large wire rack and peel off the parchment. Leave until the cake is completely cool.
4. Make the salted caramel icing while the cake bakes. Heat the brown sugar, ½ tsp salt and cream in a saucepan until the sugar has dissolved. Bubble for a few mins, then leave to cool completely. Beat the butter until smooth, pour in the cooled cream mixture and continue mixing until softly whipped. Chill until needed.
5. To make the ganache, heat the cream until just boiling. Remove from the heat and pour over the chocolate. Leave to stand for a few mins until the chocolate has melted and you have a smooth sauce consistency. Leave to cool at room temperature until the ganache is a pipeable thickness, then transfer to a piping bag fitted with a star nozzle. To finish the cake, slice in half and fill with the salted caramel buttercream. Pipe tall spikes of chocolate ganache on top and decorate with the sea salt crystals. Will keep for up to 2 days in a cool place.

 

Easy castle cake

 

 

A magical three-tiered sponge cake that's simple to make, but no one would ever guess...

  

Ingredients

• 300g soft butter
• 300g caster sugar
• 6 eggs
• 1 tbsp vanilla extract
• 80g plain flour
• 300g self-raising flour
• 100g plain full-fat Greek yogurt
• 3 tbsp milk
• 8 tbsp seedless raspberry jam

For the icing and decoration

• 150g soft butter
• 300g icing sugar, sieved
• 600g ready-to-roll white icing
• 200g ready-to-roll pink icing
• 250g royal icing, made from a pack of royal icing sugar
• 100g ready-to-roll lilac or light blue icing
• 20 pieces chewing gum
• 40 sugar cubes
• silver balls
• green food colouring
• mini sugar blossoms
• edible glitter

Equipment

• coloured cake board
• wooden skewer
• coloured sandwich flags or candles

 

Method

1. Heat the oven to 160C/140C fan/gas 3. Grease and base line a round 13cm cake tin and a round 18cm cake tin. Place two muffin cases in a muffin tin.
2. Put the butter and sugar into a large bowl and beat together until light and creamy. Add all the remaining ingredients except the jam and beat well. Half fill the muffin cases and then fill the two cake tins 3/4 full. Bake in the oven placing the cake tins on one shelf and the muffin tin on another. Open the oven door and remove the muffins and smaller cake quickly when they are done as you don't want to let the heat out of the oven. The muffins will take about 35 mins, the 13cm cake about 1 hour 10 mins and the 18cm cake about 1 1/2 hours. You know each is done when a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Allow the cakes to become completely cold before icing.
3. Trim the tops of the two cakes so they are flat. Slice each one in half, spread with jam and then sandwich together again. Using a 6cm cutter, cut each muffin to make a cylinder. Trim the tops flat. Sandwich together with jam to make a tower.
4. To make the butter icing put the butter into a bowl and beat until soft. Gradually beat in the icing sugar. Spread the butter icing over both cakes and the muffin tower. Roll out the white icing and use to cover the two cakes. Place the larger one on a cake board. Put the smaller one on top. Roll a strip of white icing and wrap around the muffin tower. Place on top of the cake. Push a wooden skewer though the cakes to hold them together.
5. Using about 150g pink icing, mould into an onion shape for the dome. Put to one side. Roll out a little pink icing and cut out a 6cm round and place on top of the muffin tower. Using the made up royal icing, attach the dome to the top of the tower.
6. Using the pink icing make two doors and two curtains. Attach to the cake using royal icing. Make windows by rolling out the lilac icing and cutting out hearts using medium, small and tiny cutters. Attach these upside down to the cake with royal icing. Roll a small piece of lilac icing into a thin sausage and stick around the curtains to make the window frame.
7. Again using the royal icing, stick on the pieces of gum around the doors, and the sugar cubes around the edge of the cakes. Attach silver balls to the dome to decorate and to the doors to make handles. Score horizontal lines down the doors to give a textured effect. Attach a piece of gum under each window on the middle tier and then stick three flowers on top to make window boxes.
8. Colour the remaining royal icing green and spoon into a piping bag fitted with a plain nozzle. Pipe creeper branches up the castle walls. Attach mini sugar flowers.
9. Stick coloured flags or candles into the middle tier of the cake. Sprinkle a little edible glitter over the dome and sugar cubes.

 

Double-the-love chocolate cake

 

 

 

A simple white chocolate buttercream looks great when it’s swirled over this gorgeous wedding cake – however roughly you do it

 

Ingredients

• 400g butter
• 200g plain chocolate
• 700g plain flour
• 800g caster sugar
• 100g cocoa
• 2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 4 large eggs
• 400ml buttermilk

To assemble

• 2 x 200g bars white chocolate
• 550g softened butter
• 550g icing sugar
• 2-3 x 80g bags white chocolate buttons, flowers and ribbons, optional

 

Method

1. Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Grease and line the base and sides of deep, round 20cm and 15cm cake tins with baking parchment – making sure the paper comes a few cms above the sides.
2. Boil the kettle. Put half the butter and chocolate in a pan and gently melt, stirring. Mix together half of the flour, sugar, cocoa and bicarb with a pinch of salt. Whisk 2 of the eggs and 200ml buttermilk together. Scrape the melted chocolate mixture and egg mixture into the dry ingredients. Add 150ml boiling water and whizz everything together with an electric whisk until lump-free. Divide between the tins and bake for 40-45 mins, swapping round after 30 mins if they’re on different shelves (the 15cm one should be done after 40 mins). To test they’re cooked, push in a skewer and check it comes out clean. Cool the cakes in their tins.
3. Repeat steps 1 and 2 again, so you end up with 2 x 20cm cakes and 2 x 15cm cakes.
4. Melt the white chocolate in a bowl over a pan of barely simmering water. Beat together the butter and icing sugar, then beat in the white chocolate. When the cakes are cool, split each one in half. Use the icing to sandwich back together so you end up with 2 x four-layered cakes. Sit the 20cm cake on your serving plate and spread some more icing over the top. Sit the smaller cake on top of that, and completely cover with icing. Decorate with the chocolate buttons.
5. If you want to add some flowers choose something edible, like roses. Make a posy, wrapping the stems in a little damp kitchen paper then some cling film, add a ribbon and add to the cake on the day of the wedding.

 

 

Frosty forest cake

 

 

 

You can make this Christmas cake right at the last minute. The decorating makes a fun holiday project for the kids

 

Ingredients

For the christmas cake

• 140g soft dried apricots, roughly chopped
• 100ml apricot or regular brandy
• 140g soft dried figs, roughly chopped
• 250g raisins
• 85g glacé cherries, quartered
• 50g each almonds, cashews and Brazil nuts, chunkily chopped
• finely grated zest 1 lemon
• 200g plain flour
• ½ tsp baking powder
• 1½ tsp mixed spice
• 50g ground almonds
• 200g butter, softened
• 200g light muscovado sugar
• 4 eggs

For the decoration

• 800g marzipan
• mint green food colouring paste
• icing sugar
• clear honey
• silver and coloured dragees (varying sizes)
• 250g white ready-to-roll icing
• edible disco white hologram glitter

Method

1. To make the cake, soak the apricots in the brandy while you get everything prepared. Heat oven to 160C/fan 140C/gas 3. Butter then line the sides and base of a deep 20cm round cake tin with greaseproof paper. Mix together the figs, raisins, cherries, nuts and lemon zest.
2. Combine the flour with the baking powder, mixed spice and ground almonds. Beat the butter and sugar in a large bowl until creamy, about 2 mins. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Gently fold the flour mixture into the cake mixture in two goes, then fold in the fruits and nuts, followed by the apricots and brandy.
3. Spoon the mixture into the tin, then smooth the top, making a slight dip in the middle. Bake for 30 mins, then lower the temperature to 150C/fan 130C/gas 2 and bake for another 1 hr 45 mins, laying a sheet of foil loosely over the top for the final 15 mins if it starts to brown too quickly. The cake is done when a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean. Leave the cake in the tin to cool, then remove the lining paper and wrap well in cling film and foil until ready to decorate (see below or turn the page for another idea).
4. To create the frosty forest cake: colour the marzipan pale green with a little of the food colouring. Cut off 250g, then make this a shade darker with more food colouring for the trees. To make the trees, roll out the darker green marzipan on a surface lightly dusted with icing sugar. Make pointed triangular cardboard tree templates in 3 different sizes (roughly 7.5 x 4cm/6.5 x 3.5cm/5.5 x 3cm). Using these as guides, cut out the tree shapes (see tip, above right). Brush one side lightly with honey, then scatter over silver and coloured dragees, pressing them down lightly to stick. Lay the trees on baking parchment to firm up. This is best done a day or two ahead.
5. When ready to decorate, sit the cake on a board or plate. On a surface lightly dusted with icing sugar, roll the paler green marzipan into a circle wide enough to cover the cake completely. Brush the cake all over with honey. Using a rolling pin, lift and lower the marzipan onto the cake. Smooth the surface of the marzipan with your palms, then trim off any excess from the bottom with a sharp knife.
6. Cut off two-thirds of the ready-to-roll icing, then roll out a strip about 8cm wide and long enough to go over the top and down the sides of the cake. Cut a wavy line down either side to resemble a path. Brush the marzipan with honey where you want the path to go, then lay the path on top. Trim to neaten the ends.
7. Take two-thirds of the remaining icing, then roll out 2 long, narrow ropes the same length as the path and about 5mm wide. Dampen the path edges with water and lay the ropes in position. Cut off and roll small pieces from the rest of the icing (and any trimmings), then shape into small snow drifts for the trees to stand in. When the trees are firm, make an indent in the top of each snowdrift with the back of a knife and put each tree into position. Sit the trees on the cake, securing with a little honey underneath. If necessary, cut off some of the rope along the edge of the path to make a flatter surface for the trees. Finally, scatter edible glitter onto the marzipanned cake.

 

Stacked star cake

 

 

 Turn a plain cake into a stunning centre piece. You need a steady hand so save the sherry for after the tricky balancing act!

 

Ingredients

To cover the cake

• 20cm/8inch round fruitcake (see goes well with)
• 3 tbsp apricot jam, warmed
• icing sugar, for dusting
• 750g natural-coloured marzipan
• 750g white ready-to-roll icing

To decorate

• 500g white ready-to-roll icing
• icing sugar, for dusting
• gold or silver edible lustre
• star cutters of your choice
• approx 65cm 65cm ribbon

 

 

Method

1. Cover the cake and set aside. Knead the 500g icing for the stars and roll out to 5mm thick on a surface dusted with icing sugar. Dust with edible lustre, then rub it in with your fingertips. Stamp 20 stars out of the icing using one 6cm cutter, or use two different-size cutters if you have them. Leave to dry overnight.
2. If you’re putting a ribbon around the cake, do this now. Start building up the hardened stars – start with three in a triangle shape, pushing the points into the icing on the cake for stability. Build on this basic frame, letting the stars support each other. Lay a few stars around the base of the stack. Cake can be iced up to a week ahead.
3. TO COVER THE CAKE: To cover a cake with marzipan, first brush the cake all over with a thin layer of warmed apricot jam. Dust the work surface with icing sugar, then roll out the marzipan evenly until you have a 5mm-1cm thick round, about 40cm across for a 20cm cake. Lift over the cake, using a rolling pin to help, then smooth with your hands and trim off the excess. Leave to dry overnight or for a few hours. Lightly brush the marzipan all over with cooled, boiled water. Roll the icing out as you did the marzipan, then smooth with your hands, trim off the excess and leave to dry.

Gingerbread man party cake

 

 

Follow our step-by-step guide to icing a fruitcake with white fondant and marzipan, then decorate with smiling gingerbread men and cute candy canes

  

Ingredients

• 1 20cm-wide Christmas cake (see 'goes well with' for recipe)
• 200g icing sugar, mixed with enough water to make a smooth runny icing, plus a little extra for rolling
• 4 tbsp apricot jam
• 500g pack marzipan
• 1½ kg ready-to-roll white fondant icing
• brown and red food colouring
• edible gold balls

You will also need

• 20cm cake board or cake stand
• 7cm gingerbread man cutter
• icing bag and thin nozzle or plastic sandwich bags

 

Method

1. Make sure your cake is completely cooled, remove from its tin and peel off the baking parchment. Spread a little icing over a cake board or cake stand, then invert your cake onto it, so the bottom now becomes the top.
2. On a clean surface lightly dusted with a little icing sugar, roll out the marzipan to a circle large enough to cover the cake – use a piece of kitchen string to help you check. Melt the apricot jam in a small pan with 1 tbsp water, then sieve and brush a little all over your cake. Cover the cake with the marzipan, smoothing it over the surface. Trim the edges.
3. Brush the marzipan all over with the remaining apricot jam, then roll out 1kg of the fondant icing and, using the same method as for the marzipan, cover your cake with the icing. Trim the edges. (See our step-by-step guide on how to cover your cake, above.)
4. Split the remaining icing into 3 equal lumps. Dye 1 ball of icing bright red and another gingerbread brown. Cover the icing tightly with cling film until needed. Roll out the brown icing and, using your cutter, stamp out 5 gingerbread men. Use a little of your runny icing to glue the gingerbread men to the top of the cake in a circle.
5. Roll your red icing and white icing into 20cm sausage shapes, squeeze them together, then continue rolling, twisting the sausage as you roll to give you a candy-cane effect. Use a piece of string to measure around the base of the cake, then cut a candy cane-coloured strip long enough to run around the base and stick it with a little runny icing. Roll the remaining candy cane-coloured icing out a little thinner, then cut into 5 short pieces and bend the ends over to make candy canes. Stick 1 of these between each gingerbread man.
6. Pour the remaining icing into a piping bag fitted with a small nozzle, or a sandwich bag and snip off the end – if the icing is a little runny, thicken it with extra icing sugar first. Use the icing to pipe a smiley face, eyes and 2 dots in the middle of each gingerbread man – stick edible gold balls on the dots to make buttons.

 

Chocolate, orange & almond simnel cake

A rich, indulgent Easter treat with orange frosting and homemade chocolate marzipan, great for those who don't like traditional fruit cake

Ingredients

• 250g slightly salted butter, plus extra for greasing
• 100g orange-flavoured plain chocolate or 100g plain chocolate plus 2 tsp orange extract
• 400g plain flour
• 500g golden caster sugar
• 25g cocoa, plus extra for dusting
• 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 2 eggs
• 284ml tub buttermilk
• zest and juice 1 orange

For the marzipan

• 85g golden caster sugar
• 100g icing sugar, plus extra to decorate
• 200g ground almonds
• 50g cocoa powder, plus extra for dusting
• 1 egg, plus 1 yolk, beaten

For the frosting

• 2 x 250g/9oz tubs mascarpone
• 250g butter, softened
• 250g icing sugar
• zest 2 oranges plus 100ml juice

Method

1. Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Grease and line the base and sides of two deep 23cm cake tins. Boil the kettle. Put the butter and chocolate in a small pan and gently heat, stirring, until completely melted. Mix together the flour, sugar, cocoa and bicarbonate of soda with a pinch of salt in your largest mixing bowl. Whisk the eggs, buttermilk, orange zest and juice together in a jug. Scrape the melted chocolate mixture and egg mixture into the dry ingredients, add 150ml boiling water and whizz briefly with an electric whisk until the cake batter is lump-free. Divide between the tins and bake for 45 mins – swapping the tins round after 30 mins if on different shelves. To test they’re done, push in a skewer and check that it comes out clean. Cool the cakes in their tins.
2. Meanwhile, make the marzipan. Mix the sugars, ground almonds and cocoa in a bowl. Make a well in the middle, tip in the egg and egg yolk and mix together with a cutlery knife before kneading with your hands to a smooth ball. Wrap in cling film and set aside. Will keep in the fridge for 1 week if making ahead.
3. Make the frosting: beat the mascarpone and butter together until smooth. Sift in the icing sugar, add the zest and juice, then beat again until combined.
4. To assemble, split each cake in half horizontally. Dot a little frosting on your serving plate and sit one of the cake halves on top. You’ll use about half the frosting to sandwich the cakes together – spread the plated-up cake with some frosting, then repeat to sandwich the remaining cakes on top. Brush the top of the cake with a tiny bit more frosting.
5. Roll out the marzipan, on a dusting of cocoa if you need, to a rough 27cm circle. Using your cake tin like a cookie cutter, stamp out a marzipan circle, then carefully lift this onto the top of your cake. Roll the remaining marzipan into 11 small balls and stick them on top, using a little more frosting or water like glue. Spread the remaining frosting round the outside of the cake, then dust the top with a little more cocoa and icing sugar.

Coconut & Lime Cake

 

 

Get a taste of the tropical with this creamy coconut and lime sponge cake

 

Ingredients

For the cake

• 200g caster sugar
• 200g softened butter
• 4 eggs, beaten
• 200g self-raising flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 2 tbsp milk
• 200g block of creamed coconut

For the frosting

• zest and juice of 2 limes
• 100g butter, softened
• 140g icing sugar, sifted
• tbsp Malibu (optional)
• 100g toasted desiccated coconut

 

Method

1. Heat oven to 190C/fan 170C/gas 5. Butter two 20cm sandwich tins and line with non-stick baking paper. Grate the 200g block of creamed coconut and keep half of it aside. Then in a large bowl, beat all the cake ingredients (including half of the grated block of creamed coconut) together until you have a smooth, soft batter.
2. Divide the mixture between the tins, smooth the surface with a spatula or the back of a spoon, then bake for about 20 mins until golden and the cake springs back when pressed. Turn onto a cooling rack and leave to cool completely.
3. For the frosting, mix together the remaining creamed coconut, zest and juice of 2 limes. Microwave on High for 30 secs until the coconut melts.
4. Make the buttercream by beating the butter until smooth and creamy and gradually beating in icing sugar . Then beat in the cooled coconut mix and 2-3 tbsp Malibu (optional) until it becomes marshmallowy.
5. Fill the cooled sponges with a third of the frosting, cover the sides and top with the rest and coat the sides with the toasted desiccated coconut. Keep in an airtight container and eat within 2 days.

Shooting star celebration cake

 

 

For a stunning Christmas centrepiece, this cake is perfect. Get the kids to help out making the stars and celebrate in style

 

Ingredients

• 1kg ready-to-roll icing
• 280g icing sugar, plus extra for rolling out
• 20cm round cake with marzipan (see 'Goes Well With')
• gold edible lustre (we used Squires Kitchen)
• red food colouring paste, we used Christmas red
• 1 egg white

 

Method

1. Knead 700g of the icing until smooth. Dust work surface with icing sugar, then roll icing into a circle 5mm thick and 40cm wide. Brush cake with cool, boiled water. Roll icing over the rolling pin, then place onto the marzipan, smoothing any folds. Cut away any excess, then use a glass to smooth sides of the cake.
2. Knead the trimmings with the remaining 300g icing and roll out to 5mm thick. Using an 8cm star cutter, cut one large star. Roll the rest of the icing a little thinner, then cut out 20 stars with a small cutter. Lift stars onto greaseproof paper and leave overnight. Once dry, mix some of the gold lustre with a drop of water then paint the large star and half the small stars gold. Leave to dry for 30 mins.
3. Squash trimmings together and colour with the red colouring paste. For the star’s tail, shape half the icing into a rectangle and roll out to a long strip about 3mm thick. Cut a length, 40cm long and 10cm wide at one end, tapering to about 5cm wide. Cut a ‘V’ in the wide end (see picture, below left). Cover with cling film, then roll the rest of the icing into a 20cm circle. Cut a scroll shape, ensuring one end is the same width as the thinner end of the first piece.
4. Brush the sides of the cake with water, then wrap the tail around. Lift the scrollshaped piece onto the cake, dampening underneath so it sticks, and join the scroll and tail ends together. Brush away excess icing sugar with a damp brush and leave to dry. Roll a walnut-size ball of icing and put on top of the cake where the tail ends.
5. Beat the egg white with the icing sugar to make a smooth paste. Spoon into an icing bag fitted with a fine writing nozzle. Use this to stick the large star onto the ball of icing and the small stars to the tail, and to pipe graduated dots to decorate. Leave to dry.

 

Crunchy nut cake decoration

 

 

This easy almond cake topping makes for a beautiful golden decoration.

 

Ingredients

• 100g golden syrup
• 50g butter
• 150g toasted flaked almonds
• 150g whole blanched almonds
• 50g plain flour
• icing sugar, to dust

 

Method

1. Bake the Apricot & almond fruitcake (see recipe to the right of this one) or any other 20-23cm fruitcake but bring out of the oven 10 mins before the end of the cooking time. Increase oven temperature to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Gently heat the golden syrup and butter in a saucepan.
2. When it is all melted and runny, stir in toasted flaked almonds, whole blanched almonds and plain flour. Use a couple of teaspoons to dot the mixture all over the top of the cake, and pop back in the oven for 12-15 mins until the topping is nicely golden. Cool, then remove from the tin and cover the sides with pretty ribbons. Lightly dust the cake with icing sugar to finish.

 

Bûche de Noël

 

 

Paul Hollywood's sumptuous chocolate, raspberry and cream sponge falls somewhere between a Yule log and Swiss roll. Add a drop of Drambuie for a cheeky adult twist

  

Ingredients

• vegetable oil, for greasing
• 150g golden caster sugar
• 6 large eggs, separated
• 250g good-quality dark chocolate
• icing sugar, for dusting

For the cream filling

• 400ml double cream, lightly whipped
• 150g raspberries, defrosted if frozen
• little Drambuie (optional)

For the chocolate buttercream

• 125g unsalted butter, softened
• 225g golden icing sugar
• 25g cocoa powder, sifted
• 1 tbsp milk

 

 

Method

1. Heat oven to 220C/200C fan /gas 7. Line a 23 x 33cm Swiss roll tin with baking parchment and oil lightly. Whisk the caster sugar and yolks in a bowl until pale and thick. Melt the chocolate with 4 tbsp cold water in a bowl set over a pan of simmering water. Stir in the sugar mix.
2. Whisk egg whites to stiff peaks. Stir a spoonful into the chocolate, then fold in remaining using a large metal spoon. Pour batter into tin and bake for 12-14 mins until risen and just firm. Leave in tin until cold.
3. Lay a sheet of baking parchment on a board. With one bold movement, turn the cake onto the paper, then lift off the tin. Carefully peel away the lining paper.
4. Spread the whipped cream all over the cake, then scatter over the berries with a dribble of Drambuie, if you like. Starting at the long side opposite you, use the paper to roll the cake towards you. Transfer to a serving dish.
5. For the buttercream, beat the butter, then sift in sugar and cocoa. Add milk and mix together. Spread over cake, use a fork to create a log effect, and chill until needed. Decorate, dust with icing sugar and serve.

Christmas wreath cake

 

 

Turn one fruitcake into two with these festive ideas - this one is a decorative holly ring with fondant icing.

Ingredients

• 1 20cm-wide Christmas cake (see 'goes well with')
• 200g icing sugar, mixed with enough water to make a smooth runny icing, plus a little extra for rolling
• 4 tbsp apricot jam
• 500g pack marzipan
• 750g royal icing sugar
• green food colouring
• 750g ready-to-roll white fondant icing

You will also need

• 8cm round cookie cutter (optional)
• 20cm round cake board or cake stand
• various-sized holly cutters
• red ribbon

 

Method

1. Make sure the cake has completely cooled, remove from its tin and peel off the baking parchment. Use an 8cm round cookie cutter to cut a hole through the middle of the cake, pushing down as far as you can, then cut all the way down using a small sharp knife. Carefully remove the centre by lifting the cake and pushing the smaller cake up through the middle (you may need to get someone to help you with this). Keep the smaller cake to decorate and give as a gift (see 'goes well with').
2. Spread a little runny icing around the edges of a cake board or stand and invert the large cake on top.
3. On a clean surface dusted with icing sugar, roll out 100g marzipan into a long rectangular strip, about 8 x 20cm. Trim the edges, then use this piece to line the central hole of the cake. Trim away any excess. Roll out the remaining marzipan to a circle large enough to cover the cake – use a piece of kitchen string to help you check. Melt the apricot jam in a small pan with 1 tbsp water, then sieve and brush a little all over your cake. Use the marzipan to cover the cake, then trim any excess from the bottom and the centre.
4. In a large bowl, mix the royal icing sugar with enough water to make a thick, spreadable icing. Use the food colouring to dye it a rich leaf-green colour. Working quickly, spread the icing all over your cake – don’t worry about being too neat as most of the icing will be covered. Break the fondant icing into 2 lumps and dye different shades of green. Roll the icing out and cut out lots of holly shapes with cutters. Use a little runny icing as glue to stick the holly leaves all over the top of the cake. Put a big red bow at the top to finish the look.

 

Surprise piñata football cake

 

 

Slice into this sensational mint chocolate celebration cake and let the hidden sweets pour out for your party guests to enjoy

 

Ingredients

For the chocolate cake

• 200g unsalted butter
• 200g soft light brown sugar
• 4 large eggs
• 150g self-raising flour
• 50g cocoa powder, sieved
• 1 tbsp milk

For the mint cake

• 200g unsalted butter
• 200g caster sugar
• 4 large eggs
• 200g self-raising flour
• ½ tsp peppermint extract
• about ½ to 1 tsp green food colouring paste

For icing and decoration

• 150g unsalted butter, softened
• 300g icing sugar, sieved
• 300g chocolate balls or foil-covered chocolate footballs (available online)
• 4 tbsp sieved apricot jam, warmed
• 500g green ready-to-roll icing
• 350g white ready-to-roll icing
• 100g black ready-to-roll icing
• a little food colouring paste, choose team colours
• novelty candles, optional

 

Method

1. Heat the oven to180C/160C fan/gas 4. Grease and base line a 20cm round cake tin with baking parchment. To make the chocolate cake, put the butter into a bowl and beat until soft. Add all the remaining ingredients and beat well until light and creamy. Spoon into the tin and spread level. Bake in the oven for about 45 mins or until a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean. Cool. When cold, slice the top off the cake to make it level.
2. To make the mint cake, grease and base line your 20cm cake tin with baking parchment. Put the butter into a bowl and beat until soft. Add the remaining ingredients and beat well until light and creamy. Spoon into the tin and spread level. Bake in the oven for about 45 mins or until a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean. Cool. Do not slice the top level as it needs to be rounded.
3. To make the butter icing, put the butter into a bowl and beat until soft. Gradually beat in the icing sugar. Slice the chocolate and mint cakes in half horizontally so you have four layers. Using an 8cm round cutter, stamp a circle from the centre of each layer. Place the bottom layer of chocolate cake on a 25cm cake board. Spread with a little butter icing. Place the bottom green layer on top. Spread with butter icing and place the other chocolate layer on top. Spread with more icing and place the rounded green sponge on top.
4. Fill the centre hole with sweets, almost to the top. Take one of the 8cm green sponge pieces and slice in half horizontally. Place one piece on the cake to cover the hole containing the sweets. Spread the top with the remaining butter icing. Roll out about 300g of the white fondant icing to a 20cm circle and place on top of the cake.
5. Brush the sides of the cake with apricot jam. Measure the circumference of the cake and the depth. Add 2.5cm to the depth measurement. Using these measurements roll out the green fondant to a long strip. (You may find it easier to do two shorter strips). Attach the strip around the cake. Use scissors snip around the top edge to represent grass.
6. Make a cardboard template of a pentagon (5 sides). Roll out the black icing and cut out six pentagons. Place them on the cake as for a football. If you wish to stick them in place use a little icing sugar mixed with water.
7. With the remaining white icing trimmings make a scarf and paint with food colouring in your team colours. Drape the scarf over the edge of the cake. Add candles as desired.

 

 

Simple elegance wedding cake

 

 

To make a three-tier wedding cake, all you need to do is multiply basic cake mixtures and icings, and take your time

 

Ingredients

You will need

• 5 x ingredients for Easy vanilla cake (see 'Goes well with' recipe below)
• 5 x ingredients for Basic vanilla buttercream (see recipe below)
• 340g/12oz jar strawberry jam, optional (I used Tiptree Strawberry & Champagne)
• 340g/12oz jar apricot jam, warmed and sieved
• 4kg white ready-to-roll icing (I used Regalice)
• 15cm, 23cm and 30cm thin round cake boards
• 40cm thick round cake board
• cocktail sticks
• palette knife
• a roll of baking parchment
• a flat baking sheet or cake lifter
• icing sugar, for rolling out
• string, for measuring
• 8 x long plastic dowels
• kitchen scissors
• 3½ m x 1½ cm white satin ribbon
• tube of UHU glue, or similar

To stack and insert the flowers

• 12cm and 15cm polystyrene cake dummies
• 18-gauge floristry wire, cut into about 20 x 10cm lengths
• 15-20 white and pale green hydrangea heads (get some smaller, some larger, if you can); your florist can advise
• 40cm, 30cm and 18cm cake boxes with lids, if you're transporting the cake

 

Method

1. MAKING THE CAKES: Make the basic Easy vanilla cake recipe (see 'Goes well with'), following the instructions below for each tier, then cool and drench with the syrup. The cakes can be frozen ahead, without icing. However, if you bake them three days before the wedding, the cake will be fine until the big day.
2. For the bottom tier, triple the quantities for the basic cake mix, then spoon into a ready-lined deep round 30cm cake tin. Bake for 2 hrs 15 mins on the middle shelf until risen and cooked through as before. While this cooks, make up a quadruple batch of the syrup - this will be enough for all three cakes. Cool and drench the cake with syrup as before.
3. For the middle and top tiers, double the quantities for the basic cake mix, then spoon it into ready-lined 15cm and 23cm cake tins, filling each to about two-thirds full. Bake them together on the middle shelf, taking the small cake out after 1 hr 15 mins, and leaving the larger cake to cook for 1 hr 30 mins in total. If you know that your oven has hot spots, quickly move the cakes around after 50 mins. Cool and drench with syrup as before.
4. LAYER AND COVER THE CAKES: Make the buttercream as in the basic recipe. You will need 5 x basic quantity - this is a lot, so split your weighed-out quantities in two before you start mixing. You may have some left over, but better too much than too little. Weigh out the buttercream - you will need approximately 400g for the 15cm cake, 600g for the 23cm cake and 1.3kg for the 30cm cake. Spread a little buttercream over the 15cm cake board. Level the top of the cake if you need to, then upturn the 15cm cake onto it. Split into three using a bread knife. I like to mark the front of the cake on each layer before lifting it off, using toothpicks, so I can reassemble it in exactly the right way. Take the top third off first (what was the bottom of the cake) and set aside. Carefully cut the middle layer and set that aside, too. A flat baking sheet or cake lifter can be very helpful here to slide the cake layers off and then back onto each other.
5. Spread a layer of buttercream over the cake on the board. Return the middle layer, lining up the toothpick markings, then spread another layer of buttercream on top. Add a little jam if you like, dotting it over, then spreading evenly. Top with the final piece of cake, then dust off any crumbs on or around the cake. Now brush the whole cake with a thin layer of apricot jam. This should stop you getting too many crumbs in the buttercream. Sit the whole cake on a large sheet of baking parchment.
6. Spread the rest of the buttercream over, starting with the top, then smooth and paddle it around the sides and down to the board. Repeat the whole process with the remaining cakes, using the corresponding boards and the different quantities of buttercream. The cakes are now ready to be iced. You can leave them overnight if needed, loosely covered with cling film.
7. COVERING THE CAKE WITH ICING: You will need about 500g icing for the 15cm cake, 1kg for the 23cm cake and 1.7kg for the 30cm cake. Dust the work surface with icing sugar, knead the icing until pliable, then use your rolling pin to roll it into a circle large enough to cover the sides and top of the cake, with a little left over. Use string to check the size. Use your rolling pin to help you lift the icing over the cake.
8. Smooth the icing around the cake with your hands, easing it over the edges and down to the board. Then trim off the excess with a sharp knife, flush with the bottom of the cake board. Smooth any marks with the flats of your hands, buffing the icing to a slight shine.
9. Once you've iced all the cakes, cover the thick base board. Lightly brush with cooled boiled water, then lay the icing over. Trim to the edge of the board with a knife (I tend to do this like I would a pie crust, holding the board in my left hand, and knife in my right), then leave the board and the cakes to dry overnight.
10. STACKING THE CAKES: Dowels, which are basically plastic sticks, provide stability and strength to tiered cakes, and polystyrene blocks allow you to add a 'floating' layer of flowers. By measuring and cutting the dowels to the same length as the polystyrene, you'll provide an even platform for the next cake to sit on, even if the cake below is a bit wonky.
11. Sit the 15cm dummy centrally on top of the biggest cake. Insert four of the dowels into the cake, around the outside of the dummy, in a square shape. Push them right down until they meet the cake board. Mark with a pen where the top of the dummy comes to.
12. Carefully pull out the dowels; then, using scissors, score around each dowel where you marked it. Snap the plastic cleanly. Re-insert the dowels in their original holes, rounded end down. Repeat the process with the 23cm cake and the 12cm dummy.
13. Position the biggest cake in the middle of the covered board. Run a thin line of glue around the base board and fix the ribbon around it. Fix the ribbon around each cake, using a spot of the glue on the ribbon to secure it to itself. If you're moving the cake to a venue, put the cakes into their boxes now. Make a little kit to take with you - glue, scissors, etc - just in case you have to re-do anything.
14. ON THE DAY - STACKING AND DECORATING THE CAKE WITH FLOWERS: I used hydrangeas - they're beautiful, in season and you can achieve a dramatic effect with relatively few blooms. On the day, save putting the flowers on the cake until as late as you reasonably can. Cut the stems of the hydrangeas to about 2-3cm. Split your least-favourite bloom into smaller pieces - this will help you fill any awkward gaps later. Make sure you save one beautiful bloom for the top.
15. Insert a length of floristry wire into each stem (or wind it around the stem), leaving a spike of wire about 3cm long. Push this into the polystyrene dummy. Repeat until the two dummies are surrounded with a halo of flowers. The bottom cake should be in its permanent position now - out of direct light and away from any radiators. Lift the 23cm cake onto the bottom polystrene dummy, taking care not to squash any petals, then repeat with the top cake. Fill any gaps with the broken-up flower head you reserved earlier. Sit the final bloom on top of the cake, and you're done!
16. CUTTING THE CAKE: Cut the cake across, in a grid, rather than into wedges. You should be able to get 50 servings from the large cake, 30 from the middle and 12 from the top, when cut into 2.5 x 5cm pieces.

 

 

Frances Quinn’s Summer’s day wedding cake

 

 

Frances creates her own version of the latest bridal trend - the 'naked' cake. She skips the traditional fondant icing for mascarpone seasonal  

Ingredients

For the lemon cakes

• 1.375kg slightly salted butter, softened, plus extra for greasing (buy 6 x 250g packs)
• 1.375kg golden caster sugar
• 21 large eggs
• 2 tbsp vanilla extract
• 1.375kg self-raising flour
• 210g ground almonds
• zest 21 large lemons, plus 10 tbsp lemon juice

For the lemon & mint syrup

• 600g golden caster sugar
• 700ml lemon juice (use the lemons from the cake mixture)
• large bunch fresh mint, leaves torn

For the filling

• 2kg mascarpone
• 2 x 325 jars good-quality lemon curd

For the decoration

• 1kg raspberries
• icing sugar, for dusting
• roughly 1.2kg mixed berries and cherries (we used strawberries, cherries, blueberries, blackberries and redcurrants)
• a few mint leaves
• assortment of unsprayed flowers (see tip, below)

You'll also need

• 30cm deep cake tin
• 20cm deep cake tin
• 10cm deep cake tin
• sewing cotton, for cutting cake
• 20cm and 10cm thin cake boards
• cake paddle (optional, but very useful)
• about 20 plastic straws
• 2 large wire racks
• large cake stand or board
• flower tape or kitchen foil

 

 

Method

1. To make the cakes. Heat oven to 170C/150C fan/gas 3. For the bottom tier, grease a deep 30cm cake tin with butter, then line the base and sides with a double layer of baking parchment.
2. Using an electric whisk, cream 400g of the butter with 400g of caster sugar. Whisk 6 eggs in a jug with ½ tbsp of the vanilla, then gradually add to the creamed butter, beating between additions. Once combined, sift in 400g of the flour, and mix in 60g of ground almonds and add the zest of 6 lemons. Gently stir in 3 tbsp of the lemon juice.
3. Scrape into the prepared cake tin and level the top with a spatula. Bake on the middle shelf of the oven for 1 hr. Don’t worry if the top looks a little dark, as this will become the base. The cake is ready when the surface feels springy to the touch and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Set aside to cool in the tin for 30 mins, then turn out on to a large wire rack, or use 2 smaller wire racks pushed together.
4. To make a middle tier, line a deep 20cm cake tin as before, and make the cake following the method in step 2, using 4 eggs and 250g each of sugar, flour and butter. Add the zest of 4 lemons, 40g ground almonds, 1 tsp of vanilla extract and 1½ tbsp of lemon juice. Bake for 50 mins, testing as before.
5. For the top tier, use a deep 10cm cake tin and make the cake following the method as before, using 1 egg, 75g each of sugar, flour and butter, 10g ground almonds, the zest of 1 lemon, 1 tsp vanilla and ½ tsp lemon juice. Bake for 30 mins.
6. Repeat steps 1-4 so you have 2 bottom tiers, 2 middle tiers and 1 top tier. Leave until all the cakes are completely cool. Once cooled, the cakes can be wrapped in a double layer of cling film and kept in a cool place for up to 4 days, or frozen for up to 1 month. To defrost, leave the cakes at room temperature overnight.
7. To make the syrup. Put the sugar and lemon juice in a saucepan over a medium-high heat. Simmer for about 10 mins, stirring occasionally, until the sugar has dissolved. Remove from the heat, stir through the mint, then allow to cool and steep for up to 5 hrs. Sieve into a jug or bowl, then cover with cling film and chill until ready to use. The syrup will now keep for up to 1 week.
8. To make the mascarpone cream. Empty the mascarpone into a large bowl. Beat with an electric whisk to soften slightly, then fold through 300ml of the cooled Lemon & mint syrup until fully combined (save the remaining syrup for assembling). Chill until ready to use, but leave at room temperature for 20 mins to soften before using. Can be made 1 day ahead of assembling.
9. To assemble the cake. Split the two 30cm cakes and the two 20cm cakes in half through the centre, and the 10cm cake into 4 layers. Use the cake paddle or a large chopping board to help move the sponges and flip one of the largest layers onto a serving plate or cake stand, so that the top of the cake now becomes the bottom. Spoon over a little of the reserved syrup, then spread with some of the lemon mascarpone filling using a small offset spatula or knife. Drizzle over some of the lemon curd, then scatter with raspberries. Now top with the remaining layer, so the bottom of the cake now becomes the top, realigning the cocktail sticks to ensure the cake is level. Then layer more syrup, mascarpone, lemon curd and raspberries with the remaining 30cm sponges.
10. Push 6 straws into the middle of the cake in a circle formation, no wider than 20cm in diameter – these will support the next tier. Snip the straws where they protrude from the cake, so that they are flush with the top. Repeat the assembly with the two 20cm cakes, placing these onto thin cake boards before sitting on top of the larger cakes, then poke in more straws to support the top tie. Finally, assemble the top layer using the same method. Spread any remaining mascarpone on top, then dust the tiers lightly with icing sugar. Decorate with an assortment of mixed berries, mint sprigs and flowers (see tip, left).

Snowman friends cake decoration

 

 

Icing and decorating a Christmas cake may take time but this sweet snowy scene will be a hit with kids

  

Ingredients

• 85g apricot jam
• 100g sifted icing sugar, plus extra for dusting
• 750g marzipan
• 2kg ready-to-roll regal icing
• blue, brown, orange and green food colouring
• 85g desiccated coconut
• a few whole cloves
• 3 strawberries laces

 

 

Method

1. ICE THE CAKE: Melt the apricot jam, then sieve and brush a little all over a 23cm cake (see Apricot & almond fruitcake recipe to the right of this recipe). On a clean surface lightly dusted with a little sifted icing sugar, roll out the marzipan to a circle large enough to cover the cake – use a piece of kitchen string to help you check. Lift up the marzipan by hanging it over your rolling pin, then drape over the cake. Gently pat and smooth the marzipan down the sides of the cake, then trim any excess from the bottom.
2. Colour the regal icing with a little blue food colouring, then cover the marzipan using the same method as you covered the cake, firstly brushing the marzipan with more apricot jam. Trim the base.
3. ADD SOME SNOW: Use your hands to roll two-thirds of the remaining regal icing into a long, thin sausage on an icing sugar-dusted surface. It should be long enough to go round the cake – use a piece of kitchen string to help you measure it. Use a rolling pin to roll the sausage into a strip about 5cm wide. Use a small, sharp knife to straighten one edge, and trim the other into a wiggly edge.
4. Keep all the trimmings, and squash half into 2 wobbly circles for the snowmen to sit on. Brush the strip, circles and the very bottom edge of the cake with a little runny icing made with 100g sifted icing sugar and a splash of water. Scatter the desiccated coconut over the strip and circles, gently pressing to stick and cover. Starting with one end of the strip, stick it round the base of the cake. This can be a bit fiddly, so if you’re nervous, simply halve the icing from the start and do in 2 half-length strips, using a little more coconut to hide the joins on the cake.
5. SHAPE THE SNOWMEN: Roll the remaining third of regal icing into 2 large balls, 2 medium balls and 2 small balls. Stick together, squashing slightly, into 2 snowmen. Brush 4 cocktail sticks with a little brown food colouring and stick into the snowmen for arms.
6. ADD BUTTONS AND NOSES: Push a few whole cloves into one snowman as buttons. Use a little orange food colouring to dye a little of the strip trimmings, and shape a little around the pointy end of 2 cloves to look like carrot noses. Use another clove to make little holes where the noses will go, dab a bit of runny icing into the holes and stick on the noses, pushing them into the holes to help hold them.
7. SMILEY FACES: Use a black or brown writing icing pen to dot on smiley mouths and eyes – I find it helps to mark tiny holes with the end of a cocktail stick first. It stops you making mistakes and helps the icing stay in place.
8. MAKE THE HAT: Dye another lump of regal icing trimmings with food colouring (we used green). Shape most into a woolly hat shape, pressing a slight dip into the bottom with your thumb where it will sit on the snowman’s head. Roll a little ball to stick on top of the hat; attach it with more runny icing. Then roll and cut a thin strip to stick round the base of the hat. Use a cocktail stick to make markings like a woolly hat and rough up the ball on top. A little more runny icing will help it stick onto your snowman’s head.
9. AND LASTLY, THE SCARF: Knot the strawberry laces together at one end. Tightly plait a 10cm length and knot at the end again. Using scissors, snip the ends, leaving about 1cm for tassels after the knot, then wrap around the neck of the other snowman. Sit the wobbly snowy islands on top of the cake and a snowman on each one.

Bunny carrot cake

 

 

A sticky and delicious sponge with decorative candied carrot topping

 

Ingredients

• 200g light soft brown sugar, plus 3 tbsp
• 150ml light rapeseed oil (we used Cooks & Co with natural butter flavour), plus extra for greasing
• 100g natural yogurt, plus extra to serve (optional)
• 3 large eggs
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• zest 3 oranges, juice of 2 (save juice of last orange for the carrots, below)
• 300g self-raising flour
• 1 tbsp mixed spice
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 250g coarsely grated carrots
• crème fraîche, to serve (optional)

For the caramelised carrots

• 225-250g small or baby carrots, peeled and halved lengthways
• juice 1 orange (from cake ingredients)
• 25g butter
• 4 tbsp light soft brown sugar

 

 

Method

1. First, make the caramelised carrots. Put the carrots in a saucepan so they can sit in just about a single layer. Add the orange juice, butter, sugar and enough water to cover the tops of the carrots by just 1cm. Bring to the boil, then cook until the water has almost evaporated and the carrots are left in a sticky syrup – you may want to reduce the heat if the liquid looks more syrupy, and go a little slower at the end so the carrots don’t catch. Can be made up to 1 day ahead.
2. Heat oven to 160C/140C fan/gas 3. Grease a 23cm cake tin. Lift the candied carrots from the pan and syrup, and arrange in the base of the tin, cut-side down. Keep the pan and syrup for later.
3. Whisk together the 200g brown sugar, the oil, yogurt, eggs, vanilla and zest from 2 oranges. Mix the flour, mixed spice, cinnamon and grated carrot in a big mixing bowl. Stir in the whisked mixture until smooth, then spoon over the carrots in the tin – be careful not to dislodge their arrangement too much. Bake for 45-50 mins until a skewer poked in comes out clean. Cool in the tin for 20 mins.
4. Meanwhile, add the orange juice to the syrup pan with the 3 tbsp brown sugar. Simmer together until slightly reduced, then stir in the remaining zest.
5. Turn the cake out onto a plate and spoon over the syrup. Eat just warm or at room temperature with more yogurt or crème fraîche.

 

Edd Kimber’s Bakewell ombre cake

 

 

Inspired by the classic Bakewell tart, the raspberry jam and almond flavours of this sandwich sponge complement the stunning pink graduated

 

Ingredients

For the almond cake layers

• 325g plain flour
• 25g cornflour
• 4½ tsp baking powder
• 225g butter, at room temperature
• 400g golden caster sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 tsp almond extract
• 5 medium egg whites, lightly beaten
• 300ml whole milk

For the raspberry cream cheese frosting

• 300g butter, at room temperature
• 625g icing sugar
• 450g full-fat cream cheese
• 300g seedless raspberry jam
• red paste food colouring

 

 

Method

1. Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Grease 3 x 20cm round cake tins and line the bases with baking parchment, greasing the parchment, too.
2. In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, cornflour, baking powder and ½ tsp salt, then set aside. Put the butter in a large bowl and beat for about 3 mins until smooth and creamy. Add the caster sugar and beat for about 5 mins until light and fluffy. Add the extracts and mix to combine.
3. Add the egg white a little at a time, beating until fully combined. Sift in the flour mixture in 3 additions, alternating with the milk, but starting and finishing with the flour.
4. Divide the mixture equally between the prepared tins, gently levelling out. Bake for 25-30 mins, or until the cake springs back when lightly touched. Allow the cakes to cool in the tins for 10 mins before inverting onto a wire rack to cool completely. The sponge is quite delicate, so take care when working with the cooled cake.
5. For the frosting, beat the butter for about 3 mins until light and creamy. Add the icing sugar, a little bit at a time, until fully combined. Beat the frosting until light and smooth, then add the cream cheese and half the jam. Mix until just smooth – don’t overmix as it will get thinner the more you stir.
6. Put the first cake on a serving plate and spread a layer of the frosting over the top. Then spread half the remaining jam evenly over the frosting. Repeat with the second cake and finally place the third cake on top. Cover the outside of the whole cake with a thin layer of frosting using a palette knife, and put it in the fridge while you prepare the frosting for the decoration.
7. Divide the remaining frosting between 3 small bowls. Add about ½ tsp of red paste colouring to one of the bowls and about 1 tsp colouring to another bowl, leaving the third bowl as it is. You want to have three bowls of frosting with clearly different colours.
8. To decorate the cakes, put each frosting into a piping bag fitted with a small round piping tip. Pipe 6 dots of frosting up the cake, 2 of each colour, with the darkest at the base of the cake. Use a teaspoon or small palette knife to smear the frosting to the right. Repeat the piping process, moving the dots up one so that as you pipe around the cake the colour will graduate in a swirl. For the top, pipe 2 rings of the darker pink dots around the outside, spreading the frosting in the same fashion, followed by 2 rings of the medium pink dots, and finish with the lighter frosting in the middle. Will keep for up to 3 days, chilled.