Introduce kids to baking with this imaginative Enchanted Forest Cake Recipe designed by Siúcra and Catherine Fulvio.
Whether you’re baking this show stopping cake for an occasion or just a treat, the easy step by step method is designed to help children develop a love of baking early on.
Serves 10 to 12
Ingredients:
Cake
– 170g softened butter
– 200g Siúcra Caster Sugar
– 5 eggs
– 350g plain flour, sifted
– 2 tsp baking powder
– 60g cocoa powder
Buttercream
– 200g softened butter
– 400g Siúcra Icing Sugar
– 60g cocoa powder
– 60g melted chocolate
– 40ml milk
Decoration
– 100g strawberries, hulled and sliced
– 150g Siúcra rollout icing
– Siúcra royal icing
– Yellow colour paste, for the flowers
– Red colour paste, for the mushrooms
– Green colour paste, for the leaves
– Light brown colour paste, for the door
Method:
Cake
1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/fan 160°C/gas 4.
2. Line 2 x 18cm cake tins with baking parchment.
3. Place the butter into a large mixing bowl and whisk with an electric beater. Gradually add the Siúcra Caster Sugar and whisk until fluffy and pale.
4. Add the eggs, one at a time. Fold in the flour, baking powder and cocoa powder.
5. Divide the cake mix between the 2 lined cake tins and bake in the preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes.
6. To check that the cake is cooked, insert a skewer in the centre and if it comes out clean the cake is done.
7. Remove from the oven and place on a cooling rack.
Buttercream
1. Whisk the Siúcra sugar and butter together until fluffy and add the cocoa powder and melted chocolate. Pour the melted chocolate into the butter cream and whisk again until soft.
2. Shape mushrooms from the rollout icing and make the white dots on top with royal icing.
3. Make a fairy door, some leaves as well as flowers.
Assemble
1. Trim the cake evenly and reserve that piece to create “steps” to the fairy door. Place a cake layer on the cake stand, spread some chocolate butter cream and arrange the sliced strawberries over. Cover with the other layer of cake.
2. Make 2 steps up at the front of the cake.
3. Using a large spatula cover the sides of the cake, the “steps” as well as the top of the cake with buttercream. Dip the spatula in hot water for a smooth finish for the top while drawing stroke upwards to form a “bark” effect on the sides.
4. Place the door on the side of the cake near the “steps” and arrange the mushrooms beside the door and on the top of the cake. Place the flowers and leaves on the sides and top.
5. If you have a blow torch, then slowly brown the meringue on the outside.
6. Serve at once & enjoy!
Catherine Fulvio the award-winning cookbook author has developed a series of sweet and savoury mini recipes exclusively for Siúcra, to showcase the functionality and breadth of the product range as well as demonstrating how fun, quick and easy it is to make delicious dishes from scratch, regardless of ability.
For more information on Siúcra products and/or recipes visit Siúcra’s Facebook page or www.siucra.ie.