Easter Cake Recipe

There are two stories to this cake. I'm going to tell you both so that you can decide which you prefer, but it would be great if you could just go ahead and believe the second - definitely most truthful and not at all fabricated - one.

So here's the first story:

Due to massive Lent based deprivation I decided to celebrate Easter with a big cake. I decided that it was high time to give a technique I've been wanting to try for a while a go; the dribble cake. Masterfully created by Katherine Sabbath and many others that followed.

The cake started out well with a basic sponge recipe that rose beautifully and turned out pretty perfect. Just what the doctor ordered.

Then came the frosting. I decided in all my wisdom to alter the recipe slightly and ended up with a frosting that wouldn't smooth properly. Not so great, but no massive concern.

Then came the ganache drip.

Once again my infinite wisdom came into play and I decided I wanted to colour the white chocolate ganache - you know, to really make the cake look as though it would induce a sugar coma. This is where we really started to go wrong.

Firstly the ganache started to set really quickly, the more colouring I added the more it set. So in blind panic I poured it on the cake. And it clumped. Go figure. So then I thought "I know, I'll re heat it" so I put it over a bain marie. Major error. Hello curdled ganache. Once again I panicked and poured it onto the cake. I popped it in the fridge and closed the door as if in hope that some strange yet friendly fridge gnomes would come out and secretly salvage the cake.

I opened the fridge door.

There really is no such thing as strange yet friendly fridge gnomes, or if there is they just sat and laughed at my cake. Fools.

Desperate not to through the whole day down the pan I then stripped off the ganache and re-frosted the cake, decorated it and then considered pretending as if it was always meant to look like that.

Now, the second (and most definitely true) story:

I woke to the tune of birds and breezed into the kitchen wearing a dress which I considered tatty but would pass as a ball gown (you know, like in Snow White. Or something similar). I threw open the window that I'm normally too short to reach and set about making a perfect sponge whilst humming to myself with the voice of an angel. Then once the cakes were cooked I noticed a row of birds on the window ledge, a small doe looking through at me and a handful of cheerful squirrels, all there to help decorate the cake.

The birds lifted the cake, I frosted it while the squirrels piped the decorations and the doe did a bit of washing up, all while singing together in perfect harmony. The whole thing took just shy of an hour and then we shared it with a smile and no poisoned apple in sight.

So there you have it; two stories. Both - as I'm sure you'll agree - completely feasible. Well aprat from the first one....that's clearly all lies.

The recipe for the cake is a pretty sponge cake and buttercream combination but I'll put it below for quantity purposes.

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Recipe

Sponge

300g butter

300g caster sugar

6 eggs

300g self raising flour

1.5 teaspoons baking powder

Pre heat your oven to 180°.

Cream together your butter and sugar until light and fluffy.

Add in the eggs one at a time with a spoon full of flour each time and whisk until light and fluffy.

Combine the baking powder and the flour then add to the mix, gently fold in until mixed.

Bake until golden brown and springy to the touch.

Buttercream

500g royal icing sugar

125g butter

1 teaspoon vanilla

Colourings of your choice

Pop it all into a bowl and mix until light and creamy. It will look as though it's never going to come together but it does, keep whisking and you'll get there.