Cake by Allen Rachel

Author:Allen, Rachel
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers

Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F), Gas mark 4, then butter the inside of the pudding basin bowl and dust with flour.

Cream the butter until soft in a large bowl or in an electric food mixer. Add the sugar and beat until the mixture is light and fluffy.

Whisk the eggs and vanilla extract together in a small bowl, then gradually add the eggs to the creamed butter mixture, beating all the time. Sift in the flour, baking powder and cocoa powder and fold in gently, then add the milk and mix gently to combine.

Tip the batter into the prepared pudding basin/bowl and bake for 50–55 minutes or until springy to the touch and a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean.

Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 5 minutes in the basin bowl. Use a palette knife to loosen the edges of the cake, then place a wire rack upside down over the basin bowl and carefully flip over. Lift off the basin bowl and leave the cake to cool completely on the wire rack.

As the cake is cooking, or while it’s cooling down, make the icing. Place the chocolate in a heatproof bowl and set over a saucepan of gently simmering water. Leave just until melted, stirring occasionally, then remove from the heat and set aside.

Cream the butter until soft in a large bowl or in an electric food mixer, then sift in the icing sugar and cocoa powder and continue to mix. Pour in the melted chocolate and beat in until well combined.

Place the cake domed side down on a work surface. If the base of the cake is uneven, use a bread knife to level it off. Spread a little of the icing 2–3mm (⅛in) thick over the base of the cake, then cut the cake in half so that you have two half domes.

Sandwich together the iced sides to form a roughly oval shape, then spread a little icing on the large plate and place the cake on top so it sticks down.

Spread the remaining icing all over the cake, and use a palette knife to shape the face and the snout of the hedgehog (see photograph). Use a fork to add texture to the snout and the back of the hedgehog, then decorate the iced cake.

Cut the chocolate fingers in half crossways and arrange pointing backwards as the spines of the hedgehog. To make the eyes, cut a chocolate finger in half and insert into the cake with the uncut surfaces pointing outwards. Place the glace cherry or Smartie at the tip of the snout to make a nose.

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