Baking

Ginger Neville birthday cake

Was this one a childhood favourite? From the Australian Women's Weekly's famous 'Children's Birthday Cake Book' cookbook, decorating ol' Ginger Neville is sure to bring back fond memories.
Ginger Neville
1
55M

Ingredients

Ginger neville
Butter cream
Decorations

Method

Ginger neville

1.Preheat oven to 180°C/350°F. Grease cake deep 22cm (9-inch) round cake pan and 8cm x 25cm (3¼-inch x 10-inch) bar cake pan; line bases and sides with baking paper, extending paper 5cm above sides.
2.Make cakes according to directions on packets. Divide mixture between pans so both mixtures are the same depth. Bake round cake about 50 minutes and bar cake about 25 minutes. Stand cakes in pans 5 minutes before turning, top-side up, onto wire rack to cool.
3.Using picture as a guide, and with cakes top-side up, cut face from round cake and ears from bar cake.
4.To make butter cream, beat butter until white as possible, gradually beat in half the sifted icing sugar then milk, then remaining icing sugar. Beat until smooth.
5.Position cake pieces on 40cm (16-inch) round cake board to form cat, as pictured; secure with a little butter cream.
6.Using toothpick, mark out centre stripe (triangle) between ears. Using a small serrated knife on the diagonal, trim about 1cm around edge of face.
7.Tint half the butter cream light orange. Tint half the remaining butter cream dark orange; leave remaining butter cream plain.
8.Spread light orange butter cream all over cake. Spread all but 1 tablespoon of the dark orange butter cream over ears and stripe.
9.Spread 1 tablespoon of the plain butter cream for tips of ears and inside stripe. Swirl remaining tablespoon of the dark orange butter cream and all of the remaining plain butter cream together for a marbled effect; dab over cat’s cheeks to create fur.
10.Trim marshmallows into eye shapes; position on cake. Cut a small piece of licorice into thin strips to outline the eyes. Cut two small pieces of the licorice for eyelashes. Position Smarties in centre of eyes for irises.
11.Cut a small piece of the licorice for the nose and mouth. Position chenille sticks on cake for whiskers. Place bow under cat’s chin.

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