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
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.
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