Decorative Cakes Recipes -  Sweet Cascade Cake

Ingredients

• 20 cm/8 inch round chocolate sponge (refer recipe)

• chocolate butter cream (refer recipe)

• about 200 g/7 oz sweets

• about 200 g/7 oz soft fruits

Stock syrup

• 50 g/2 oz sugar

• 1 lemon, sliced

• 1-2 tablespoons rum or amaretto

• Boiled chocolate icing

• 275 g/10 oz caster sugar

• 125 g/4 oz plain chocolate, chopped

• 50 g/2 oz cocoa powder, sifted

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Method:

1. First make the stock syrup: put the sugar and lemon in a small saucepan with 150 ml/5 fl oz water. Bring to the boil, boil for 5 minutes, then leave to cool. Add the rum or amaretto, if using.

2. Slice the sponge into three layers and brush all three layers with the syrup. Place the bottom layer on the cake board. Spread with butter cream, add the second layer, spread with butter cream, then add the top layer. Spread a thin layer of butter cream over the top and sides of the cake and place in the refrigerator to set.

3. Make the chocolate icing: put the sugar, chocolate and cocoa into a heavy-bottomed saucepan. Add 8 tablespoons water and stir throughway with a wooden spoon. Stirring all the time, bring to the boil. Place a sugar thermometer in the mixture and cook until it reaches 108°C/220°F or the long thread stage, brushing the edge of the saucepan frequently with water to prevent the mixture from crystallizing. Pour into a heatproof bowl and beat well until thick and glossy. To cool quickly, pour half on to a clean, dry work surface and work with a palette knife, then return to the bowl.

4. Place the cake on a wire rack, pour over the cooled chocolate icing and spread with a palette knife. Leave to set.

5. Place the cake back on the board and decorate: stick on the sweets and fruits with a little of the chocolate icing and pipe around the base.