Volcano Cake

Ingredients

·         300g butter, very soft

·         350g caster sugar

·         6 eggs

·         300g self-raising flour

·         2 tbsp milk

·         red paste food colouring

·         100g apricot glaze or sieved apricot jam, warmed

·         500g marzipan

·         200g plain chocolate

·         about 250g assorted chocolatehoneycomb chunks, chocolate raisins, Maltesers, caramel popcorn etc, plus plastic dinosaurs, cake sparklers or fountains etc, to decorate

·          

Method

1.      Preheat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Grease and base line an 18cm round cake tin, a 800–900ml oven proof (Pyrex) bowl and a 1.2 litre oven proof bowl.

2.      Put the butter, 300g of the sugar, eggs,flour and milk into a large bowl and beat well until light and creamy. Spread just under half the mixture in the cake tin.

3.      Take just under half of the remaining mixture and put into a bowl and colour deep red with food colouring. Put 3–4 small spoonfuls of red cake mix onto the mixture in the cake tin. Using the handle of a teaspoon pull the red mix through to give a marbled effect.

4.      Using the remaining plain and red cake mix place spoonfuls in a random fashion in the two prepared bowls. Again use the teaspoon handle to give a marbled effect.

5.      Bake in the oven for about 30 mins for the small bowl, about 35 mins for the medium and 50–60 mins for the cake tin. The mixture is cooked when firm to the touch and when a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.

6.      When the cakes are cold trim off any peaks that have formed. Place the round cake on a large cake board. Cut three small ‘v’ shapes on the edge of the cake, to make an uneven shape for the volcano base. Spread a littleapricot glaze all over the cake and place the larger bowl cake, rounded side up, on top. Brush with apricot glaze and place the remaining cake, rounded side up, on top. Cut a small hollow in the top of this cake (to represent the ‘mouth’ of the volcano) and then brush the cake with apricot glaze.

7.      Roll out the marzipan to a large circle to cover the cake. It can be quite a rough shape. Lift it onto the cake and drape in a random fashion in the nooks and crannies to make a volcano shape.

8.      Melt the chocolate in a microwave or in a bowl over a pan of hot water. Using a pastry brush, paint the volcano with chocolate. Attach chunks of chocolate, popcorn etc with melted chocolate. Add the dinosaurs. Drizzle any remaining chocolate over the volcano in a random fashion.

9.      To make the lava put the remaining 50g sugar into a small non-stick frying pan. Heat gently without stirring until the sugar has melted but is still clear. Lightly oil a metal baking sheet. When the sugar is just turning light brown at the edge, remove from the heat and carefully stir in a little red paste food colouring. Using a teaspoon, drizzle lava shapes onto the prepared tray. Leave to cool completely.

1.  When cold, carefully lift the lava shapes and place in the top of the volcano. For extra effect use birthday candles, cake sparklers, or cake fountains.

Healthy Eating: Triple Chocolate Cake

 Preparation

CAKE:1 cup boiling water 1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa, divided2 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely choppedCooking spray $1 3/4 cups granulated sugar6 tablespoons butter, softened $

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3 large egg whites $

1/2 cup fat-free sour cream $

8 ounces cake flour (about 2 cups)

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

FILLING:

1/3 cup fat-free milk $

1 tablespoon granulated sugar

1 tablespoon cornstarch

Dash of salt

4 ounces milk chocolate, finely chopped

3/4 cup frozen fat-free whipped topping, thawed

GLAZE:

1/2 cup powdered sugar

1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa

3 tablespoons fat-free milk $

2 teaspoons butter $

1/8 teaspoon instant espresso granules

Dash of salt

1 ounce bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped

1. Preheat oven to 350°.

2. To prepare cake, combine 1 cup boiling water and 1/2 cup cocoa. Add 2 ounces bittersweet chocolate; stir until smooth. Cool to room temperature. Coat 2 (8-inch) round metal cake pans with cooking spray; line bottoms of pans with wax paper. Coat wax paper with cooking spray; dust pans with remaining 1 tablespoon cocoa.

3. Place 1 3/4 cups granulated sugar, 6 tablespoons butter, and 1 teaspoon vanilla in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed 1 minute. Add egg whites, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Add sour cream; beat at medium speed for 2 minutes. Weigh or lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a bowl, stirring with a whisk. Add flour mixture and cocoa mixture alternately to sugar mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture; beat just until combined.

4. Divide batter evenly between the prepared pans. Bake at 350° for 30 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out with moist crumbs clinging. Cool 10 minutes in pans on wire racks. Remove from pans; cool on wire racks. Discard wax paper.

5. To prepare filling, combine 1/3 cup milk and the next 3 ingredients (through dash of salt) in a saucepan over medium-low heat; bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Cook 1 minute or until thick, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Add milk chocolate, stirring until smooth. Pour into bowl. Cover and chill. Uncover; fold in whipped topping.

6. To prepare glaze, combine powdered sugar and remaining ingredients in a saucepan over low heat. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Place 1 cake layer on a plate. Spread filling over cake, leaving a 1/4-inch border. Top with remaining layer. Drizzle glaze over top of cake, spreading it out over edges.

Deb Wise, 

Cooking Light