This weekend was my nephew's 2nd birthday and I had a couple of ideas for what cake I would make but decided in the end to bake a football cake. He's football mad at the moment and has impressive skills for a two year old! Not that I'm bias in anyway...
I wanted to wrap a cute little scarf around the football when I realised that this would be a problem with my sister being a Liverpool supporter and my brother-in-law being a Manchester United supporter. Luckily both team colours are red. Plus with live in Wrexham, Wales so it worked well for this too!
Now for the baking. I used a two pint pyrex bowl to give the correct shape and used a basic sponge recipe. However, any heat proof bowl will work. Before you make the cake batter prepared the bowl and turned the oven on to pre-heat to 180. Used parchment paper to line a heat proof bowl by cutting it into strips and use butter to 'glue' it down trying to not overlap the paper too much.
Make cake better in a separate bowl. You can use a box mix or the recipe below.
Ingredients
250g self raising flour
250g soft butter
250g sugar
4 medium eggs (I use free range)
Teaspoon of baking powder
Icing sugar
Jam
White icing
Black icing
Red icing
Green food die
First mix the butter and sugar together until pale then bit by bit add the flour and baking powder by sifting it into the bowl. Crack the eggs in a mug and beat with a fork and add in a bit at a time alternating between the flour. Once combined pour into your lined heatproof bowl
Place in the oven for 40 minuets, test the cake putting a skewer in the middle and if it comes out clean the cake is ready, if not leave it for another five minuets and try again. Leave to cool and turn out on your severing place (or cake stand). Cut in half and add your chosen filling. I chose strawberry jam.
Next, role out your white icing (tip: put icing sugar on your work station to save stickiness) You can buy icing from most supermarkets however, I got mine from Sugar & Spice as Mike is really helpful and I like to support local businesses. Before you place your icing on top use butter icing, icing sugar or jam on your sponge so the cake has something to stick to. I used icing sugar for the first time (I normally use jam) and it worked well. Once your icing is on the cake carefully pat it down and cut off the excess (it's always better to have too much and cut off than have too little.)
Role out your black icing and cut in to a pentagon. I started off with a house shape then my partner helped by thinning down the sides for the correct shape.
Place the black shapes on by dabbing your finger (clean of course!) into a bit of water so it can stick to the white icing. Space them out until it looks right.
Next prepare your green butter icing. It's very easy to make just place a few tablespoons of soft butter in a bowl and bit by bit add icing sugar until you can't taste the butter any more. Add in the green food die (I use gel as it is gives a strong colour for little gel). Pipe the butter icing around the cake so it looked like grass. To do this you can use a disposable icing bag with a star nozzle.
Role out the red icing long enough to wrap around 3/4 of the cake. Role out the white icing and cut rectangles and place along the scarf so there is one red and one white rectangle along the scarf. Use a fork to press the ends of the scarf and wrap around the cake.
I'm happy to say they loved the cake and it went down a treat!
If you know some one (big or small) who would like a football cake why not give this a go?
Happy baking,
Ms B
xx
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