food

Birthday Cake Hack

Save time in the kitchen with this birthday cake hack

food

Birthday Cake Hack

Save time in the kitchen with this birthday cake hack

Supplies

Buttercream

  • 675g icing sugar
  • 225g unsalted butter
  • 60ml whole milk
  • 3 x gel food colours

Birthday Cake Hack

  • 3 x shop bought cakes

Ganache

  • 100g white chocolate, chopped finely
  • 50g double cream
  • Sprinkles and sweets, to decorate

Steps

Buttercream

  1. Sift the icing sugar into a bowl over the butter and beat until sandy.
  2. Add the milk and combine, you may not need to add all the milk.
  3. Beat for a good 5 minutes until the icing is paler in colour and is light and fluffy.

Birthday Cake Hack

  1. Remove the cakes from their packaging and even out the top of each cake with a sharp knife by slicing off any doming of sponge.
  2. Smooth a small dollop of buttercream onto a serving plate and place the first cake on top, this will help the cake to stick to the serving plate. Add buttercream to the top of the first cake and smooth over. Repeat until all cakes have been added.
  3. Smooth buttercream over the cake to secure the crumbs. This is called the crumb coat. Place the cake in the fridge until set.
  4. Once set add a thicker layer of buttercream and smooth it over with an offset palette knife. Divide the remaining buttercream into three and colour with the gels. Spoon the coloured buttercream all around the cake at random intervals before smoothing over with a palette knife. This will create a watercolour effect. Add more coloured butter cream and smooth until you are happy with the effect. Place back in the fridge until set.

Ganache

  1. Heat the cream in the microwave for around 1 minute until very hot and little bubbles have formed. Pour this over the finely chopped chocolate and leave for 20-30 seconds. Stir until smooth. If it doesn't completely melt, heat in microwave in small bursts until melted.
  2. Pour half of the ganache over the chilled cake pushing the ganache over the edge of the cake to create drips. Add more ganache when needed.
  3. Allow to set before adding the remaining coloured butter cream into a piping bag and piping 5 small swirls on top of the cake. Add sweets onto each swirl and garnish the cake with sprinkles. Cut into slices and enjoy :D