Recipe Index

Ingredients

• 1lb 2oz caster sugar
• 1lb 2oz baking spread, plus extra for greasing
• 9 free-range eggs, beaten
• 1lb 2oz self-raising flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 10oz unsalted butter, softened
• 1lb 4oz icing sugar, sifted
• 1–2 tbsp full-fat milk
• red gel or paste food colouring
• 7oz raspberry jam
• 14oz mixed jelly beans (or sweets of your choice)
• 4 tbsp pink cake sprinkles, such as stars or strands
• 2 tbsp white chocolate shapes, such as stars or hearts

Method

1. Heat the oven to 350°F and grease and line the bases of four 8-inch cake tins.
2. Cream the caster sugar and baking spread until pale and fluffy, add the beaten eggs gradually, then sift in the self-raising flour and baking powder and mix until combined.
3. Divide the mixture between the tins and bake 30 to 35 minutes until risen, golden and springy, then cool the sponges completely on racks.
4. Beat the softened unsalted butter for 5 minutes, add the sifted icing sugar in batches and loosen the buttercream with the milk, then tint a quarter of it with the red food colouring and leave the rest white.
5. Level the cooled cakes and cut the centre out of three of them with a 3 1/4 to 3 1/2-inch cutter so the holes align.
6. Stack the three holed cakes on a board with white buttercream and raspberry jam between them, fill the central cavity with the jelly beans and cap it with the uncut cake.
7. Spread a thin crumb coat of white buttercream over the whole cake and chill it 15 to 20 minutes.
8. Smooth the remaining white buttercream over the cake, press the pink sprinkles around the lower sides and chill about 30 minutes to set.
9. Pipe the pink buttercream in star swirls over the top, add a white chocolate shape to each swirl and scatter more sprinkles over the finish.

Prep: 30 min · Cook: 2 h

Nutrition (per serving, where published)

Estimated from USDA FoodData Central ingredient data