Birthday Bug Cake Recipes

Steps:

• Place the first cake on 1 of the cardboard rounds on a rack over a sheetpan. While the ganache is still warm, pour over the cake. Using a palette knife sparingly, gently swipe 1 or 2 times to spread the ganache evenly over the top and so that it runs down the sides and covers them. Let the cake sit until the ganache sets up, about 30 minutes to 1 hour.
• While the ganache is setting up begin making the wings. Cut the remaining cake in half, lengthwise. Cut the remaining cardboard round in half as well and place each cake half on one of the cardboard halves. Using the red buttercream and a palette knife, frost both halves completely. Try to make the frosting appear to be as smooth as possible. Place the black licorice rounds on the wings to make ladybug spots.
• Once the ganache is set up, assemble the ladybug. Allow 2 inches in the front of the ganache cake for the ladybug's face. Place the 2 halves behind the 2-inch face with 2 corners touching right behind the head and at an angle to each other. The wings should be in position for the ladybug to fly away. Place the candy wafers on the ganache cake to create eyes. Using a small dab of leftover frosting, secure the candy coated chocolates to the wafers to make pupils. Cut the licorice whip to the desired length and lightly press into the ganache to create a mouth. Use the remainder of the licorice whip to create antennae. ***To cut this cake for serving, remove the wings and cut separately.

Steps:

• Bake the Easy vanilla cake in a greased, lined deep 20cm cake tin as in the basic recipe; drench with syrup and leave to cool. Leave the oven on.
• Break the white chocolate into cubes into a microwaveable bowl, and heat on High for 1 min (or melt over a pan of simmering water). Stir, then leave any remaining lumps to melt in the warm liquid chocolate. Once just-warm, beat the chocolate into the buttercream.
• Start the butterflies. Put the whole giant buttons on a flat baking tray on non-stick baking paper, then put into the oven for 20-30 secs or until the chocolate looks shiny. Take out, scatter with hundreds and thousands, then leave to set completely before cutting in half with a large non-serrated knife. For the ladybirds, pipe dots of icing all over the already cut giant button halves, then leave aside to dry.
• Spread the buttercream over the cake, then start to arrange the butterflies. Cut each Matchmaker into 3 - these will make the bodies. Press onto the cake, then stick four giant button halves around each body to make 'wings'. For the ladybirds, place two spotty button halves together, then use a small button for the head. Scatter more hundreds and thousands all over the cake, then poke in the candles.

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F. Generously grease 2-quart round heatproof bowl with shortening; lightly flour. Make cake mix as directed on box, using water, oil and eggs or egg whites. Pour batter into bowl.
• Bake 50 to 55 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes. Run knife around side of bowl to loosen cake; remove from bowl to cooling rack. Cool completely, about 1 hour.
• On serving plate, place cake, rounded side up, trimming bottom if needed. In small bowl, mix 1/2 cup of the frosting and the black food color until blended. Mix remaining frosting and red food color until blended. Spread red frosting on two-thirds of cake; sprinkle with red sugar.
• Spread black frosting on remaining one-third of cake for head. Place remaining black frosting in decorating bag fitted with small round tip. Pipe wings and dots on sugared portion of cake.
• Add marshmallow pieces for eyes; pipe pupils with black frosting. Pipe red frosting for mouth. Insert licorice pieces into cake for antennae. Store loosely covered.

Steps:

• Heat oven to 160C/140C fan/gas 3. Grease a round, deep 20cm tin, then line the base and sides with non-stick baking paper.
• Using electric beaters or a tabletop mixer, beat the butter, sugar, vanilla and ¼ tsp salt together until pale and fluffy, then pour in the eggs, one at a time, giving the mix a really good beating before adding the next.
• Add 1 tbsp of the plain flour if the mix starts to look slimy rather than fluffy. Beat in the yogurt. Mix the flours; then, using a large metal spoon, fold them into the batter, followed by the milk.
• Spoon the mix into the tin and bake for 1 hr 20 mins or until well risen and golden - a skewer inserted into the middle should come out clean.
• Meanwhile, make the syrup by gently heating 50ml water with the sugar and vanilla in a pan until the sugar dissolves. Set aside. Once the cake is out of the oven, leave to cool for 30 mins in the tin, then use a skewer to poke holes all over the cake, going right to the bottom. Pour the syrup over, letting it completely soak in after each addition.
• Leave to cool completely, then either wrap the cake well or fill and ice it. If you wrap it with baking parchment and cling film, the unfilled cake will keep well for up to 3 days, or in the freezer for up to a month.
• For ideas on how to decorate the cake and to try out some variations on this basic cake mixture, have a look at the 'Goes well with' recipes for Simple elegance wedding cake, Birthday bug cake and Summer celebration cake.