Swan Cake Recipes

SWAN CAKE RECIPE

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 170C/Gas 3. In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar together until pale in colour. Add the eggs a little at a time then fold in the pecans, flour, baking powder, and ginger with its syrup. Divide between the tins and bake for 30 mins, until risen and springy. Remove from the oven, cool in the tins for two minutes, then cool on a wire rack.
• For the buttercream, use a mixer or an electric whisk to beat the butter with the icing sugar and rum. Place a tea towel over the top so that the icing sugar is contained.
• Place the cakes on a board and layer them up with the buttercream, reserving the remainder. Put the cake in the fridge to chill. Leave the leftover buttercream out at room temperature but cover.
• While the cake is chilling, make the gingerbread. Melt the butter, sugar and golden syrup in a pan then allow to cool slightly. Combine with the flour, bicarbonate of soda and spices. Beat in the egg until all combined. Chill the dough for 20 mins.
• Heat the oven to 200C/Gas 6 and roll the dough to a thickness of 3mm, then cut out a 30cm (12in) long head and neck. Bake for 10 mins and allow to cool.
• For the meringue, heat the oven to 110C/Gas 1⁄4. Whisk the egg whites to soft peaks, then add the sugar gradually while whisking, until the meringue is thick and glossy. Line a few baking trays with baking parchment, then spoon dollops of the mixture onto the trays, using a palette knife to spread them out to create 'feathers'. Make sure they're not too thin or they'll crack - keep the thickness to at least 1mm. Sprinkle with glitter and place in the oven for two hours until dry. Allow to cool, then peel from the tray using a palette knife.
• For the royal icing, mix the egg whites and icing sugar for five mins, until smooth. Put the icing into a piping bag and draw the outlines of the swan head onto the gingerbread biscuit. Carefully smooth any mistakes with a damp clean paintbrush. Allow to set for 10 mins. Water down the icing sugar with 1-2tsp of water so it's a pouring consistency. Spoon onto the neck and body, avoiding the beak and crown. Use a spoon to tease it into the corners, pop any bubbles with a cocktail stick, then sprinkle with a little glitter. Allow to dry for about 30 mins until the icing is set hard.
• To finish the cake, remove it from the fridge and cut a wedge-shaped piece from one side, as well as a slit for the neck. Trim the rounded side off the piece to create a triangle. Put the main cake and the triangle onto the serving plate at the back to create a heart shape. Cover the entire cake with the leftover buttercream.
• Press the neck into the slit in the cake. Starting from the back, gently push the meringue feathers onto the buttercream, overlapping until you reach the front.

SMASH CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease one 6 1/2-inch cake pan and one 4 1/2-inch cake pan.
• Mix cake flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl.
• Cream sugar and butter in a large bowl with an electric mixer. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Mix in vanilla extract. Add 1/2 of the flour mixture and mix until well combined. Pour in 1/2 of the milk and mix again. Repeat with remaining flour and milk until all ingredients are well combined. Pour batter into the 2 prepared cake pans.
• Bake cakes in the preheated oven until a toothpick comes out clean; the smaller cake should take 20 to 25 minutes and the larger cake should take 35 to 40 minutes. Remove from oven and completely cool on a wire rack, about 1 hour.
• Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and pour sprinkles on top.
• Spread frosting on the sides of the larger cake and immediately roll in sprinkles. Place on a serving platter and spread frosting on top. Frost the sides of the smaller cake, roll in sprinkles, and place on top of the larger cake. Frost the top and decorate with sprinkles.