MY VINTAGE TEAPOT

CHALLENGING

I was inspired to create this teapot by a visit to the Royal Crown Derby factory in Derby. Although it looks complicated, it really isn’t. I’ve given you the option of buying decorations or making your own. If you want to make the roses, see my Language Of Flowers cake in part one of my cake decoration guide. Serves 20 For the handle and spout Icing sugar, to dust

100g (3½oz) Mexican modelling paste (fine sugar paste that sets firm, available online) Gold edible lustre

Clear white spirit (such as gin or vodka) For the Madeira cakes 100g (3½oz) unsalted butter, melted and cooled, plus extra for greasing

250g (9oz) self-raising flour 30g (1oz) cornflour

A pinch of salt

4 eggs, lightly beaten

300g (10½oz) golden caster sugar

Finely grated zest and juice of 1 unwaxed lemon

150ml (5fl oz) crème fraîche, at room temperature For the lemon syrup 100g (3½oz) golden caster sugar

Juice of 1 lemon For the lemon buttercream 200g (7oz) unsalted butter, softened

300g (10½oz) icing sugar, sifted

Finely grated zest and juice of 2 unwaxed lemons To cover and decorate the cake 1kg (2lb 4oz) white sugar paste Food colouring pastes

100g (3½oz) royal icing

Edible glue

Tiny edible pearls

A selection of sugar paste flowers and leaves (from supermarkets), optional

If you’re making your handle and spout in modelling paste, rather than cardboard (see tip, above right), then do this one or even two days ahead (see below). If you’re making flowers, rather than using shop-bought, you can do this on the day. Take just a small amount of the white sugar paste (the rest will be used to cover the cake) and colour tiny amounts with drops of your chosen colours, kneading it through. Roll out thinly on a board dusted with icing sugar, cut out flowers and leaves with cutters and leave for a few hours.

Preheat the oven to 170°C/fan 150°C/gas 3 and grease the tins. Shape 2 thick rings of twisted foil for their rounded bases to rest on in the oven, to stop them rolling. Sift the flour, cornflour and salt into a bowl. Beat the eggs, caster sugar and lemon zest until fluffy and slightly thickened. Fold in the crème fraîche, then the flour mixture, butter and lemon juice. Divide the batter between the tins and bake for 35-40 minutes, until a skewer emerges clean. Meanwhile, make the syrup by mixing the sugar and lemon juice. When cooked, place the tins on wire racks. After a few minutes, run a knife around the edges then turn them out. Brush the syrup over the cakes, cool completely, then chill for half an hour.

To make the buttercream, beat the butter until pale and fluffy. Add the icing sugar and lemon zest and beat for 5 minutes. Add the lemon juice gradually, to taste, and keep beating.

Trim the wide tops of the cakes so they are flat, and trim the narrow base of one slightly. Cut each cake in half horizontally, then sandwich back together with buttercream. Place the cake whose narrow base you trimmed onto the cake board, securing with buttercream, then sandwich the other on top with buttercream to make a ball. Cover the ball with the remaining buttercream, then decorate (see opposite page).