Wise owl cake
Ingredients
2 x 600g packets vanilla cake mix
250g unsalted butter, chopped, softened
2 cups icing sugar mixture
2 1/2 tablespoons milk
180g white chocolate, melted
Decorations
1 tube Cake Mate yellow writing icing
1/3 cup desiccated coconut
2 large black jelly beans
2 teaspoons chocolate dollarettes
6 x 2.5cm-long black licorice strips
2.5cm-thick slice banana tip, halved crossways
1 blanched almond
Method
Preheat oven to 180°C. Grease a 3cm deep, 26cm x 36cm baking pan. Line with baking paper. Make cake batter following packet directions. Pour into prepared pan. Bake for 50 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Stand cake for 5 minutes in tray. Turn onto a wire rack to cool completely.
Using owl template as a guide, cut cake into owl shape. Transfer to cake board.
Using an electric mixer, beat butter in a small bowl until pale. Gradually add icing sugar mixture and milk, beating constantly, until well combined. Spread butter cream over top and sides of cake.
Draw a 20cm square on a piece of baking paper. Spread the melted chocolate over the square. Stand for 30 minutes or until almost set. Using a small, sharp knife, cut four 14cm-long feathers from chocolate square (see note for template). Refrigerate feathers for 20 minutes or until set.
To decorate: Using yellow icing, make a heart-shaped outline for the face, leaving a 2.5cm border. Scatter coconut outside the border on the owl’s head, then over rest of cake top and sides. Position jelly beans for eyes. Sprinkle base with dollarettes. Position feathers on cake. Position licorice on base as talons.
Position 1 banana piece as the beak. Position almond, pointed end out, at the bottom of the banana piece.
Notes & tips
Related link: The Wise owl cake templates
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