Duck birthday cake

Make a statement at your child’s party with this Sarah & Duck showstopper celebration cake.

Ingredients

For the cake

• 300g unsalted butter, plus extra to grease
• 300g caster sugar
• 1tbsp vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract
• 6 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 180g buttermilk
• 400g self-raising flour
• 2tbsp milk

For the filling

• 300g salted butter
• 600g icing sugar
• 2tsp vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract
• 1tsp orange extract (optional)
• 2tbsp milk
• 200g raspberry jam

For the decoration

• 2kg fondant icing
• Gel or paste food dye in blue, green, yellow, orange and black
• Icing sugar, to dust

Method

1. Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Grease and line three 20cm sandwich tins. Beat the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, then briefly beat in the vanilla. Slowly add the egg, beating between each addition. Fold in the buttermilk, then sift and fold in the flour in three amounts. Fold in the milk. Divide the batter equally between the sandwich tins.
2. Bake in the oven for 20 to 25 minutes until golden – a skewer inserted into the middle should come out clean. Leave to cool in the tins for five minutes, then turn out on to wire racks and allow to cool completely.
3. To make the buttercream, beat the butter with an electric whisk or table-top mixer until soft. Sieve in the icing sugar, then beat for 10 minutes until pale and fluffy. Add the vanilla, orange extract (if using) and milk, and beat briefly to combine.
4. To assemble the cake, put a blob of buttercream on a 25cm cake board or serving plate. Place one of the sponges on the plate, and spread a layer of buttercream and half the jam on top. Repeat with the second sponge. Put the third sponge on top and cover the top and sides of the cake with the remaining buttercream, smoothing with a palette knife. Chill in the fridge for 30 minutes.
5. Dye 700g of the fondant icing a rich blue. Lightly dust a work surface and rolling pin with icing sugar. Roll the blue icing into a circle large enough to cover the top and sides of the cake (keeping any offcuts to make bubbles), and place carefully over the cake. Mould Duck’s body and wings from white fondant and cut ovals of white for his eyes. Dye some fondant a green/blue colour to make Duck’s head. Dye small amounts of fondant yellow, orange and black for his beak, feet and eye details. Use a little water to stick all the parts together, and place on top of the cake.
6. Dye the remaining fondant in shades of pale blue and roll into balls to make bubbles. Cover the cake with the bubbles, again using a little water to stick them on. The cake will keep well for three days.