Eighteen Birthday Cake Recipe

Ingredients : Serves 80

33.5 x 20 cm

45 ml

1.1 kg

1.6 kg

30 ml

Materials/equipment

38 x 23 cm

"18"

No 1

2 m

Diamond-shaped deep rich or light fruit cake

Apricot jam, warmed and sieved

Marzipan

Sugarpaste

Black food coloring

Royal icing

Diamond-shaped cake board

Template small greaseproof paper

Piping bag

Writing nozzle

White ribbon, 2.4cm wide

Black ribbon, 3mm wide

Method :

Make the cake using quantities for a 23cm round cake.
Brush with apricot jam. Cover in marzipan.
Place the cake board. Cover the cake using 1.2kg sugarpaste icing.
Knead the trimmings into the remaining sugarpaste and tint black.
Use two-thirds of the black sugarpaste to cover the board.
Use a quarter of the remaining sugarpaste to cut a number "18" using a template. Use the rest to cut out a variety of bow ties, wine glasses and music notes. Leave to dry on greaseproof paper.
Tint the royal icing black. Using a No 1 writing nozzle, attach the cut-outs to the cake top and sides.
Tie four small bows with the black ribbon.
Secure with icing to the top corners.
Position and secure black ribbon around the cake base and white ribbon around the board.