Unicorn Birthday Cake

Hello everyone! So it's been a while. I'm finishing my degree program at university, so the last few weeks have been busy. I've still got a couple more essays to go as well, so blogging will continue in the back seat for the next three weeks or so. But I will still try to do one blog post a week.

With all the uni work recently, it's been really nice to have this cake to do as a distraction. My niece asked for a unicorn birthday cake, and I had to deliver! The inside is chocolate oil cake with milk chocolate ganache filling, covered in fondant, and buttercream for the piped details.

I was thinking about doing a YouTube video so you can see how to pipe the details. Buttercream flowers like this are difficult to pipe, but it's about seeing it first I think. So watch out here for more information on that.

Here's the recipe for the chocolate cake:

Chocolate Cake

Makes one, 3 layered tier--Serves 8
Prep Time: 15 Minutes
Baking Time: 25-30 minutes

50g cocoa powder
250g plain flour
300g caster sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
300ml freshly boiled water
125ml vegetable oil
2 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
2 large eggs, whisked in a little bowl

Preheat oven to 180ºC. Oil three 15cm round sandwich cake tins, and line the bottom with baking parchment. If you don't have three, don't worry--work with however many you have. The batter will keep on the counter for an hour or so.

Sift the cocoa powder, flour, sugar, salt, and bicarbonate of soda in a large mixing bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk the water and vegetable oil together and quickly pour into the dry ingredients. Whisk until combined. Add the vanilla extract. Let cool for 3-5 minutes, then add the eggs and whisk.

Separate evenly into the prepared cake tins. Bake in the centre of the oven for 25-30 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean. Cool in the tins for 10 minutes, then turn out on a wire wrack to cool.

Milk Chocolate Ganache Frosting

200g milk chocolate, chopped
150g (weigh, don't measure by volume) double/heavy cream

In a small saucepan, heat the cream until just below the simmering point (take off the heat when you see tiny bubbles at the side of the pan). Pour over the chopped chocolate in a bowl, and stir gently until the chocolate is melted.

Cover with cling film, making sure the cling film touches the surface of the ganache. Let cool in the fridge for an hour. When ready to frost your cakes, Whip the ganache with a hand-mixer. It will take on the texture of buttercream and lighten in colour as you whip air into it. Use to frost your cakes.