Trick and Treacle Halloween Bucket Cake

I have to admit I made this cake so years ago but have never got round to blogging about it! It was for a Halloween themed Clandestine Cake Club meeting so I knew that I would have to pull out all the stops in terms of decoration. I will always be the first to say I can't do cake decoration but this is surprisingly easy but very effective. I can't take credit for the design of it as I saw it in another book but I have changed the cake that comes with it. The original cake had four separate layers to it which would have meant me baking two and then washing up the tins and then baking the final layers. I also thought it would be nice to add a bit of Halloween theming into the cake as well so instead it is just two layers but with a bit of black treacle added into it. The 'trick' is in the buttercream filling. I've coloured it green so put may think it is plain or mint flavoured when in fact it has been flavoured with orange. Not a nasty trick but one which will actually leave a very nice taste in your mouth!

Equipment: 6in (15cm) Loose-based cake tin greased and lined, large bowl, electric whisk/beaters, wire rack, pastry brush

Ingredients

6oz (170g) Unsalted butter softened or baking spread

4oz (115g) Caster sugar

Zest of 1 orange

3oz (85g) Black treacle

3 Eggs

5oz (140g) Self raising flour

1oz (28g) Cocoa powder

Buttercream

3½ oz (100g) Unsalted butter, softened

5½ oz (150g) Icing sugar, sifted

2tbsp (30ml) Orange juice

Green food colouring gel

Decoration

250g Orange ready-to-roll icing

3oz (85g) White ready-to-roll icing

Icing sugar for rolling

Selection of sweets including a long strawberry or liquorice cable for the handle

Method

1. Pre-heat the oven to 180°C/Gas mark 4

2. In a large bowl cream together the butter, sugar and orange zest until pale and fluffy.

3. Beat in the treacle and then the eggs one at a time.

4. Fold in the flour and cocoa powder making sure the mixture is well combined.

5. Transfer into the tin and bake for 1 hour 10 minutes until a skewer comes out clean.

6. Turn out onto a wire rack and leave to cool completely.

7. Once cool cut the cake into two equal sized halves.

8. Make the buttercream by beating the butter with the electric whisk until soft. 9. Add the icing sugar and beat again. It can take a few minutes for the two to come together fully. Beat in the orange juice and food colouring until the buttercream is soft and fluffy and the colour is as required.

10. Place a third of he mixture on top of one of the layers and spread it over. Place the other layer on top.

11. Spread the remaining buttercream on top and around the sides of the cake so it is all covered.

12. Measure round the cake to work out the length of icing and then the height of the cake.

13. Lightly dust a flat surface suitable for rolling out the icing.

14. When the orange icing has been rolled out lift it off the board and then transfer it to the cake. Make sure it is in position before smoothing it.

15. Roll out the white icing.

16. Either use cutters or cut out yourself 7-8 ghost shapes from the white icing.

17. Dampen the undersides of the ghosts with a wet pastry brush and then stick to the side of the bucket.

18. Attach the handle and then fill the top of the bucket with the sweets.