Black Forest Gateau

Impress your guests with this chocolate cherry layered cream cake - a revamped version of a retro classic

• Cooking Time Cook 40 mins
• Skill Level Easy
• Servings Serves 8 - 10

Nutrition per serving

• Kcalories

  859

• Protein

  7.2g

• Carbs

  93.7g

• Fat

  48.9g

• Saturates

  29.9g

• Fibre

  2.6g

• Sugar

  73.6g

• Salt

  0.7g

Ingredients

• 175g salted butter, plus extra for greasing
• 200g bar dark chocolate
• 300g plain flour
• 375g golden caster sugar
• 25g cocoa
• 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 2 medium eggs
• 200g buttermilk or natural yoghurt
• To assemble
• 425g can pitted cherries, 2 tbsp juice reserved, rest drained
• 100g morello cherry jam
• 4 tbsp kirsch (or more juice from a can if you want it to be non-alcoholic)
• 500ml tub double cream
• 3 tbsp icing sugar
• 1 small punnet fresh cherries (optional)

Directions

1. Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Grease and line the base of 3 x 20cm cake tins. Boil the kettle. Put the butter and 75g chocolate broken into chunks in a small pan and gently heat, stirring, until completely melted.
2. Mix together the flour, sugar, cocoa and bicarbonate of soda with a pinch of salt in a mixing bowl. Whisk the eggs and buttermilk or yogurt together. Scrape the melted chocolate mixture and egg mixture into the dry ingredients, add 100ml boiling water and whizz briefly with an electric whisk until the cake batter is lump free.
3. Divide the mixture between the tins and bake for 25 mins, swapping the tins round after 20 mins if they're on different shelves. To test they're done, push in a skewer and check that it comes out clean.
4. Prick the cakes a few times with a skewer. Mix together the 2 tbsp reserved cherry juice and the kirsch (or more juice) and drizzle over the cakes. Cool the cakes.
5. Mix together the remaining drained cherries and jam. Tip 200ml of the cream into a small pan and heat until just below simmering point. Chop the remaining chocolate and put in a heatproof bowl, pour over the hot cream and stir until melted. Set aside until spreadable.
6. When the cakes are cool whisk the remaining cream and the icing sugar together until softly whipped. Spread over two of the cakes, then spoon over the jammy cherries. Stack the cakes together. Spread the chocolate cream over the third cake and sit on top of the other cakes. Pile the fresh cherries in and around the cake and serve

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Raspberry Spice Cake

A show-stopping layer cake of moist buttermilk sponge, jam, berries and cream cheese frosting - a real centrepiece

• Cooking Time Prep 50 mins
  Cook 25 mins
• Skill Level Moderately easy
• Servings Cuts into 12 slices

Nutrition per serving

• Kcalories

  772

• Protein

  8g

• Carbs

  84g

• Fat

  45g

• Saturates

  27g

• Fibre

  2g

• Sugar

  58g

• Salt

  1.2g

Ingredients

• For the cake
• 250g pack butter, softened
• 450g plain flour
• 140g golden caster sugar
• 140g light soft brown sugar
• 5 large eggs
• 4 tbsp honey
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp mixed spice
• ½ tsp ground cloves
• ½ tsp ground ginger
• ¼ tsp salt
• 4 tbsp buttermilk
• For the filling & icing
• 200g raspberry jam
• 200g raspberries, plus extra to decorate (optional)
• 200g pack butter, softened
• 200g pack soft cheese
• 200g icing sugar, sifted, plus extra for dusting (optional)

Directions

1. Heat oven to 160C/140C fan/gas 3. Grease and line 3 x 20cm cake tins with baking parchment. Tip all the cake ingredients into a large bowl and beat with an electric whisk until smooth. Divide between tins and bake for 25 mins until a skewer poked in comes out clean. Turn out onto wire racks to cool.
2. Split each cake in half. Mash the jam and raspberries together, then spread over 5 cake halves, leaving 1 top half free. Sandwich together, with the plain cake on top. Put on a plate and cling film thoroughly. Invert a cake tin on top like a hat and top with 3 x 400g food cans. Leave overnight.
3. To finish, beat the butter, cheese and icing sugar together, then spread over the cake. Decorate with extra raspberries and a dusting of icing sugar, if you like.

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Chocolate Tiramisu Cake

This creamy chocolate and coffee layer cake has real wow factor and is ideal for a celebration

• Cooking Time Prep 1 hr
  Cook 30 mins - 35 mins
• Skill Level Moderately easy
• Servings Serves 10 - 12

Nutrition per serving

• Kcalories

  563

• Protein

  9g

• Carbs

  47g

• Fat

  36g

• Saturates

  22g

• Fibre

  1g

• Sugar

  41g

• Salt

  0.3g

Ingredients

• For the cake
• 50g butter, plus extra for the tins
• 4 large eggs
• 140g caster sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 100g plain flour
• 25g cocoa
• ½ tsp baking powder
• For the filling
• 1 tbsp demerara sugar
• 75ml hot espresso or strong rich coffee
• 4 large egg yolks
• 75g caster sugar
• 125ml marsala
• 200g white chocolate, half chopped, half grated
• 500g tub mascarpone
• 200g dark chocolate, grated
• 1 tbsp cocoa

Directions

1. For the cakes, heat oven to 180C/ 160C fan/gas 4. Butter and line 2 x 20cm sandwich tins. Melt the butter and allow to cool slightly. Put the eggs, sugar and vanilla into a bowl and whisk for about 8 mins or until the mixture is pale, thick and has trebled in volume.
2. Sift the flour, cocoa, baking powder and a pinch of salt over the egg mixture, then gently fold together. Pour the cooled butter around the edge of the bowl and fold in until fully incorporated. Divide the batter between the prepared tins and bake for 10-12 mins or until a skewer inserted into the middle of the cakes comes out clean. Allow to cool in the tins for a few mins, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
3. Meanwhile, make the filling. Dissolve the sugar in the coffee and set aside. Put the egg yolks, sugar and Marsala into a heatproof bowl, then set over a large pan of simmering water. Whisk for 5 mins until the mixture is thick and has trebled in volume-make sure the mixture is really thick. Remove from the heat and take the bowl off the pan. Keep whisking until the mixture is cool.
4. Melt the chopped white chocolate in the microwave on Low and allow to cool slightly. Meanwhile, beat the mascarpone until smooth, then fold into the egg mixture with the cooled white chocolate.
5. Slice the cakes in half horizontally. Place one layer in the bottom of a 20cm springform tin. Brush with the coffee syrup and spread with 3 tbsp of the mascarpone mixture. Scatter with 1 tbsp grated dark chocolate, then repeat until you end with the fourth layer of cake. Cover with cling film and chill for at least 2 hrs along with the remaining mascarpone mixture.
6. Remove the tin and put the cake on a serving plate, then cover with the remaining mascarpone mixture. Mix the remaining dark chocolate with the grated white chocolate and press carefully onto the sides of the cake. Dust the top with cocoa.

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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

• Cooking Time Prep 2 hrs
  Cook 1 hr, 50 mins
• Skill Level Easy
• Servings Serves 25

Nutrition per serving

• Kcalories

  729

• Protein

  7g

• Carbs

  83g

• Fat

  43g

• Saturates

  26g

• Fibre

  2g

• Sugar

  60g

• Salt

  0.79g

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

Directions

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.

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Peek-A-Boo Battenberg Cake

A stunning rose and almond sponge in the distinctive checkered pattern, hidden in sweet marzipan icing

• Cooking Time Prep 1 hr, 20 mins
  Cook 1 hr
• Skill Level For the keen cook
• Servings Makes a tall 18cm cake

Nutrition per serving

• Kcalories

  964

• Protein

  13g

• Carbs

  113g

• Fat

  51g

• Saturates

  22g

• Fibre

  2g

• Sugar

  89g

• Salt

  1.1g

Ingredients

• For the almond sponge
• 225g very soft salted butter, plus a little extra for greasing
• 225g golden caster sugar
• 225g self-raising flour
• 85g ground almonds
• 3 large eggs
• ½ tsp vanilla extract
• ½ tsp almond extract
• 1 tbsp milk
• For the rose sponge
• 225g very soft salted butter
• 225g golden caster sugar
• 225g self-raising flour
• 85g ground almonds
• 3 large eggs
• ½ tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp rosewater
• 1 tbsp milk
• a little artificial pink food colouring (see tip, below)
• To assemble and ice
• jar of apricot jam
• 1 tsp rosewater
• a little icing sugar, for dusting
• 2 x 500g packs white marzipan (you'll have trimmings, but better to have leftovers than leave yourself short)

Directions

1. Heat oven to 160C/140C fan/gas 3. Grease and line the base of 2 x 18cm round sandwich tins with baking parchment.
2. Start with the almond sponge: put all the ingredients in a bowl and beat with an electric whisk until the mix comes together smoothly. Weigh the mixture and spread exactly half into each tin. Bake for 30 mins-when you poke a skewer into the middle, it should come out clean. Cool in the tins for 15 mins, then carefully turn out onto wire racks to finish cooling while you make the second sponge.
3. Clean the tins, then grease and line as above. Beat together the butter, sugar, flour, ground almonds, eggs, vanilla, rose water and milk as above. When smooth, beat in a little pink food colouring, bit by bit, until you get a nice colour-it will fade a little during baking, so you can go slightly stronger than you want the finished sponge. Weigh, divide between the tins and bake as above. Cool in the same way.
4. Once the sponges are cool, cover gently and chill for 30 mins-this will make cutting them easier and neater.
5. Unwrap the sponges and, if they have domed in the centre, trim to flatten. Cut a 6cm diameter circle out of the centre of each sponge (a 6cm biscuit cutter is ideal, or make yourself a paper template) and set aside. Then cut a 12cm diameter circle from the centre of each sponge by tracing a knife around a plate of the same diameter (or use another paper template). So from each sponge you should end up with a 6cm circle, a 12cm ring and an 18cm ring.
6. Swap the middle rings of the almond sponges with the middle rings from the rose sponges, and fit the cut pieces back together. Handle the sponges very gently, to avoid cracking or crumbling up the edges too much. You should end up with 4 sponges that look like targets.
7. Heat the apricot jam to melt, then sieve and stir in the rose water. Brush some over the top of one of the sponges and top with an alternating sponge. Repeat to stack up all the layers. Sit the cake on a serving plate or cake stand.
8. Dust your work surface with a little icing sugar and roll out your marzipan until big enough to cover the cake (use a piece of string to measure the cake; see tip below). Brush some more jam all over the top and sides of the cake. Use your rolling pin to lift up the marzipan onto the cake, then ease it down the sides, pressing to stick. Trim the marzipan from the base, then decorate the cake as you like. Cut into wedges and serve with tea. Will keep for 3 days in an airtight container.

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Rainbow Cake

A stunning celebration cake of six or seven colourful layers and a buttercream icing - an impressive showstopper.

• Cooking Time Prep 2 hrs
  Cook 1 hr
• Skill Level For the keen cook
• Servings Cuts into 18 slices

Nutrition per serving

• Kcalories

  601

• Protein

  11g

• Carbs

  73g

• Fat

  29g

• Saturates

  18g

• Fibre

  2g

• Sugar

  47g

• Salt

  0.6g

Ingredients

• You'll need 3 x these ingredients for six sponges
• 125g butter, softened, plus a little extra for greasing
• 225g plain flour
• 150g golden caster sugar
• 3 medium eggs (very important to use the correct size)
• 1 tsp baking powder
• pinch of salt
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• edible food colouring - red, orange, yellow, green, blue and purple, plus optional pink (see below)
• For the icing
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 3 x 250g tubs cream cheese or mascarpone
• 350g icing sugar

Directions

1. Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Grease 2 x 20cm round sandwich tins and line the bases with baking parchment. Tip all the sponge ingredients, apart from the food colouring, into a mixing bowl, then beat with an electric whisk until smooth.

   Working quickly, weigh the mixture into another bowl to work out the total weight, then weigh exactly half the mixture back into the mixing bowl. Pick 2 of your colours and stir a little into each mix. Keep going until you are happy with the colour – the colour of the batter now will be very similar to the finished cake, so be brave! Scrape the different batters into the tins, trying to spread and smooth as much as possible – but try not to waste a drop of the batter – a rubber spatula will help you. Bake on the same oven shelf for 12 mins until a skewer poked into the middle comes out clean.

   Gently turn the cakes out onto a wire rack to cool. Wash the tins and bowls thoroughly, and start again from step 1
   – this time using another 2 colours. Unless you’re making the optional pink layer, repeat one more time to get 6 sponges, all of different colours. Leave them all to cool.

   To make the icing, very briefly beat the vanilla and cream cheese or mascarpone with an electric whisk until smooth. Sift in the icing sugar and gently fold in with a spatula. Be careful – the more you work it, the runnier it will get, increasing the chance of splitting.

   Smear a little icing on your cake stand or plate – just a splodge to stick the first sponge. Start with the red, then spread with some icing right to the very edge. Repeat, sandwiching on top the orange, yellow, green, blue and finally purple sponges. Spread the remaining icing thickly all over the sides and top of the cake. For more tips and expert advice on how to create the perfect rainbow cake, check out our tips, below.

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Orange Berry Wedding Cake

A stunning cake that will impress everyone at your wedding. With a little practice this deliciously moist cake can easily be perfect. Don't be shy

• Cooking Time Prep 3 hrs
  Cook 3 hrs
• Skill Level For the keen cook
• Servings Serves 30 - 40

Nutrition per serving

• Kcalories

  639

• Protein

  10g

• Carbs

  84g

• Fat

  31g

• Saturates

  16g

• Fibre

  3g

• Sugar

  64g

• Salt

  0.37g

Ingredients

• For the 30cm cake
• 50g butter, melted and cooled, plus extra for greasing
• 8 eggs
• 200g caster sugar
• 100g ground almonds
• zest 2 orange
• 200g plain flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• For the 20cm cake
• 25g butter, melted and cooled
• 4 egg
• 100g caster sugar
• 50g ground almonds
• zest 1 orange
• 100g plain flour
• ½ tsp baking powder
• To decorate and present the cakes
• 1 quantity orange sugar syrup (see below for recipe)
• 800g fresh raspberries
• 22cm and a 32cm cake board
• 200ml raspberry coulis
• 1 quantity Crème patisserie (see below for recipe)
• 400g redcurrants
• 1 egg white
• 4 tbsp caster sugar
• 1.8kg chocolate modelling paste (recipe below)
• 6 plastic dowelling rods
• 800g small strawberries
• 200g blueberries
• icing sugar, for dusting
• Orange sugar syrup
• 4 tbsp caster sugar
• 6 tbsp water
• 2 strips orange peel
• 4 tbsp Cointreau
• For the crÈme patisserie
• 6 egg yolks
• 3 tsp vanilla extract
• 140g caster sugar
• 50g plain flour
• 600ml milk
• 25g butter
• 142ml pot double cream
• 500g tub crème fraîche
• For the chocolate modelling paste
• 1¼kg plain chocolate, broken up
• 700g liquid glucose (available from some supermarkets and most chemists)

Directions

1. TO MAKE THE CAKES: Heat oven to 160C/fan 140C/gas 3. Butter and base-line a deep, 30cm round cake tin (20cm round cake tin for the smaller cake) with baking parchment. Whisk the eggs and sugar together using a hand-held or tabletop mixer until the mixture leaves a trail when the whisk blades are lifted. This could take 8-10 mins, but don't skimp this step as it is crucial to the success of the cake.
2. Fold in the butter, almonds and orange zest using a large metal spoon, then sift in the flour and baking powder. Fold everything together lightly, then pour into the tin. Bake for 50-60 mins (30-40 mins for the smaller cake) until firm to the touch. Cool in the tin for 5 mins, then turn out, peel off the paper and leave to cool completely. The cakes can now be frozen for up to a month.
3. TO MAKE THE ORANGE SUGAR SYRUP: Put the caster sugar in a small pan with the water and orange peel. Heat gently, stirring until the sugar has melted, then boil hard for 2-3 mins until slightly syrupy. Cool, then stir in the Cointreau.
4. TO MAKE THE CRÈME PATISSERIE: Whisk together the egg yolks, vanilla extract and caster sugar using an electric whisk until the mixture is pale and thick. Whisk in the flour. Boil the milk, then gradually whisk into the egg mix. Return to the pan and cook over a gentle heat, whisking until the custard is thick and glossy. Cook gently, stirring for 2 mins more to cook out the raw flour taste. Remove from the heat and beat in the butter.
5. Spoon into a clean bowl, then cover closely with cling film (so it's in contact with the custard) and leave to cool. Whip the double cream, then fold into the cool custard. Can be made up to 2 days ahead and stored in the fridge. Just before using, stir in the crème fraîche. This quantity makes enough to cover both cakes.
6. TO DECORATE: The day ahead of serving, split each cake in half; brush the cut edges with syrup. Lightly crush half the raspberries. Put the base of each cake on a cake board, then spread each with a layer of raspberry coulis. Scatter over the crushed raspberries followed by a thin layer of Crème patisserie (about one-third of the total amount). Cover with the other halves of the cakes, then chill.
7. Select about 6-8 long strands of redcurrant. Lightly beat the egg white and put the sugar in a shallow bowl. Brush redcurrants lightly with egg white, then coat lightly with sugar and arrange over a flat tray lined with baking paper. Leave overnight to dry out.
8. Spread Crème patisserie thinly over the tops and sides of the cakes. Measure the depth and circumference of the small cake, then roll one-third of the modelling paste into a sausage. Put this shape between two large sheets of baking parchment, then roll to the circumference of the cake and about 3-4cm more than the depth. If the paste splits, put it in the food processor with 1 tbsp oil and whizz it up, then re-knead and it should come back again to a smooth paste. Once rolled sufficiently, flip the whole lot over and peel away the uppermost sheet of paper. Trim the base of the paste in a straight line, leaving the top wavy. Carefully wrap the modelling paste around the cake with the straight edge to the base, pressing in the sides, then peel off the parchment. Repeat with remainder of paste for the larger cake.
9. Cut the dowels into equal lengths, about 2cm more than the depth of the larger cake, then insert 4 into the centre of the cake in a square formation, just smaller than the size of the smaller cake, then put two in the middle. On the day, place the smaller cake on top of the larger one, then fill around the edge of the large cake and the top of the small cake with the berries, finishing with the frosted redcurrants. Dust with icing sugar.
10. CHOCOLATE MODELLING PASTE: Melt the chocolate in a bowl set over a pan of barely simmering water, then leave to cool for a few mins. Heat the glucose gently in a pan, then tip into a large bowl. Gradually beat the chocolate into the glucose, beating to a thick paste that leaves the sides of the bowl clean. Place in a polythene bag and leave for about an hour until set firm.
11. To use, knead lightly until slightly softened. Microwave on Defrost for 10-15 secs if really firm, then use as desired. (Takes 10 minutes to prepare, 10 minutes to cook and makes about 1.8kg)

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Jo Wheatleys Raspberry Red Velvet Cake

Pured fruit imparts much of the colouring in this rosy hued cake, that combines raspberries, cocoa and a good helping of cream cheese frosting

• Cooking Time Prep 25 mins
  Cook 30 mins
• Skill Level Easy
• Servings Cuts into 8 slices

Nutrition per serving

• Kcalories

  750

• Protein

  9g

• Carbs

  86g

• Fat

  41g

• Saturates

  25g

• Fibre

  3g

• Sugar

  62g

• Salt

  1.2g

Ingredients

• 280g golden caster sugar
• 175g butter, softened
• 3 large eggs
• 280g self-raising flour
• 75g cocoa powder
• 150ml buttermilk
• 1 tsp white wine vinegar
• 85g full-fat cream cheese
• 75g puréed raspberries, sieved to remove seeds
• ¼ tsp red food gel
• 150g punnet raspberries, optional
• For the cream cheese frosting
• 200g icing sugar
• 50g butter, softened
• 140g cream cheese

Directions

1. Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Grease and line the bases of 2 x 20cm sandwich tins with baking parchment. Using an electric hand whisk, beat together the caster sugar and butter until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well between each addition.
2. Sieve the flour and cocoa powder into a bowl. Add half to the egg mixture and fold in carefully. Mix together the buttermilk, vinegar, cream cheese, raspberry purée and food gel. Fold half the buttermilk mixture into the cake batter and repeat the process with both the flour mixture and buttermilk mixture.
3. Spoon the combined mixtures into your prepared tins and cook for about 25-30 mins, until an inserted skewer comes out clean. Leave to cool for 10 mins before turning out onto a wire rack.
4. For the frosting, mix together the icing sugar and butter until soft and creamy, then stir in the cream cheese. Sandwich the cooled cakes together with half of the frosting, adding 150g fresh raspberries if you like, then spread the remaining frosting over the top. Will keep for up to 3 days in a cool place.

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John Whaites 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

• Cooking Time Prep 45 mins
  Cook 1 hr, 15 mins
• Skill Level Moderately easy
• Servings Cuts into 12 slices

Nutrition per serving

• Kcalories

  795

• Protein

  8g

• Carbs

  82g

• Fat

  48g

• Saturates

  24g

• Fibre

  2g

• Sugar

  65g

• Salt

  0.8g

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

Directions

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.

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Orange & Almond Cupcakes

Delicate little cupcakes with almond buttercream icing- if you're feeling ambitious, follow our guide to creating an edible bouquet

• Cooking Time Prep 1 hr, 30 mins
  Cook 25 mins
• Skill Level Moderately easy
• Servings Makes 24 cupcakes (enough for 1 bouquet)

Nutrition per serving

• Kcalories

  428

• Protein

  3g

• Carbs

  48g

• Fat

  25g

• Saturates

  14g

• Fibre

  g

• Sugar

  41g

• Salt

  0.6g

Ingredients

• 300g butter, softened
• 300g golden caster sugar
• 4 large eggs
• 250g plain flour
• 100g ground almonds
• 2½ tsp baking powder
• zest 1 orange, plus 2 tbsp juice
• 1 tsp almond extract
• For the buttercream icing
• 200g butter, softened
• 450g icing sugar, plus a little extra
• 200g cream cheese
• 1 tsp almond extract
• 1 tbsp orange juice
• food colouring paste of your choice (we used a mixture of pink and yellow to create coral)
• 250g pack green sugar paste (or fondant icing mixed with green food colouring)
• You'll also need
• 24 muffin cases (we used green ones)
• large piping bag
• large curved star point piping nozzle
• 15cm/6in styrofoam ball
• 15cm/6in flowerpot (measured across the top)
• green tissue paper
• sticky tape
• 24 short wooden skewers (or long ones cut in half)
• ribbon, to decorate (optional)

Directions

1. Heat oven to 170C/150C fan/gas 3½. Line 2 x 12-hole muffin tins with muffin cases. Put the butter and caster sugar in a large bowl and blend with an electric hand whisk until pale and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, whisking well between each addition. Add the flour, almonds, baking powder and a pinch of salt. Mix again, then add the orange zest and juice, and almond extract. Give a final mix to combine everything.
2. Use 2 dessertspoons to divide the mixture between the cases. Bake for 22-25 mins, changing the tins over after 15 mins. Remove from the oven, leave to cool for 10 mins in the tins, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Can now be frozen for up to 3 months.
3. To make the icing, tip the butter into a large bowl and blend with an electric hand whisk until smooth. Add the icing sugar, cream cheese, almond extract and orange juice. Mash everything together first with a spatula (to avoid a mess), then go in with the electric whisk and mix until smooth. Add your food colouring and mix again until you have an even colour. (If you're using liquid food colouring, it will make the icing runny, so add a little more icing sugar.)
4. Fit the piping bag with a large curved star point piping nozzle, then fill the bag with half of the icing and twist the end closed. To pipe, hold the piping bag directly above the centre of the cake and, applying a steady pressure, pipe in a swirl, working out towards the edge of the cupcake. When you reach the edge, swipe the nozzle to create a smooth finish-you can always cover this bit with leaves, so don't worry too much if it looks messy. When you have piped 12 cupcakes, empty any remaining icing from the bag back into the bowl with the reserved icing. Add a little more colouring to create a deeper shade (and a little extra sifted icing sugar if the icing gets too runny). Whisk again, then refill your piping bag and ice the remaining cakes. Can be stored somewhere cool for up to 1 day (the fridge is fine, just make sure that you remove 30 mins before eating).
5. Before serving, add a few leaves, if you like: pinch off small pieces of green sugar paste or fondant icing and shape into leaves. Use a sharp knife to add detail, then stick onto the cupcakes. See tips, below left, for how to build your bouquet.

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