Make our cover recipe!

Everyone loves a white Christmas and this snowman cake conjures up that festive feeling. Kids can help decorate with buttons, icing and chocolate sticks.

Serves 25-30 Prep 1 hr plus chilling Cook 1 hr 25 mins sponges only

FOR THE SPONGES

500g unsalted butter, softened, plus extra for the tins 500g golden caster sugar

10 eggs

200g plain flour

200g full-fat natural yogurt

460g self-raising flour

4 tbsp malt extract (or 2 tbsp vanilla paste)

1 tbsp full-fat milk (or 2 tbsp if using vanilla paste)

FOR THE BUTTERCREAM

400g unsalted butter, softened

700g icing sugar

2 tbsp malt extract (or 1 tbsp vanilla paste)

1 tbsp full-fat milk

FOR THE DRIPPY GANACHE

100g white chocolate

½ tsp vegetable oil

TO DECORATE

30g black fondant icing

30g bright orange fondant icing

1 wooden dowel, cut the same length as the nose

2-3 giant chocolate buttons

2 long white chocolate sticks, for the arms

YOU WILL NEED

2 x 20cm cake tins

16cm hemisphere cake tin (available from lakeland.co.uk) 23cm cake board

16cm cake board squeezy bottle

1 Heat the oven to 160C/140C fan/gas 3. Butter two 20cm round cake tins and line with baking parchment. Heavily butter a 16cm hemisphere cake tin and stand on a ramekin on a baking sheet to hold it steady.

2 First, make the sponges. Using electric beaters or a mixer, beat the butter and sugar together until pale and fluffy. Pour the eggs in, one at a time, giving the mix a thorough beating before adding the next. If the mix starts to look curdled, add 2 tbsp of the plain flour. Beat in the yogurt.

3 Mix both the flours together, adding ½ tsp salt, and slowly beat into the batter, followed by the malt extract (or vanilla paste) and milk. Spoon half the mixture into one of the 20cm tins, and split the remaining half between the other 20cm tin and the 16cm hemisphere tin. Bake the smaller amount of cake batter and the hemisphere tin for 1 hr, and the larger amount of batter for 1 hr 20 mins or until a skewer comes out clean when inserted into the middle of the cakes. Cool in the tin for 10 mins before turning out onto a wire rack to cool completely. Can be frozen at this stage for up to three months. 4 Meanwhile, make the buttercream by beating all the butter and half the icing sugar together using an electric whisk or mixer. Stir in the rest of the icing sugar once incorporated, followed by the malt extract (or vanilla paste) and milk. Set aside until ready to use.

5 To assemble, halve the largest 20cm cake horizontally into two equal-sized sponges the same size as the remaining 20cm cake. Put a blob of buttercream onto a 23cm cake board (or cake stand) and spread using a palette knife. Stick one of the sponges to the board. Spread a thick layer of buttercream on top of the cake and sandwich another sponge on top. Spread over another thick layer and sit the final sponge on top. Using a palette knife, coat the entire cake in a thin layer of buttercream and smooth the sides and top carefully, working around the whole cake, scraping off any excess icing. Chill in the freezer for 10 mins or in the fridge for 1 hr until set.

6 Meanwhile, put the hemisphere sponge on the smaller cake board and halve horizontally. Fill the middle with some buttercream, sandwich with the top and coat the entire cake in a thin layer of buttercream. Chill in the freezer for 5 mins or in the fridge for 30 mins.

7 Take the larger cake out of the fridge/freezer and coat in another layer of buttercream. Take care when covering this time, as you want a smooth finish to the cake. Running the palette knife under hot water helps smooth over the sides once it is coated completely. Chill for 5 mins in the freezer.

8 Cover the hemisphere sponge with buttercream and smooth with the palette knife. Lift the hemisphere onto the centre of the cake. Press down lightly to set on the buttercream. If there is a gap around the rim, use a small palette knife to fill in with any remaining buttercream. Chill for 10-15 mins.

9 Meanwhile, make the eyes and nose using fondant icing. Roll the black fondant icing into two balls for the eyes, and five smaller balls for the mouth. Roll the orange fondant into a carrot shape. Leave to set and harden slightly.

10 Meanwhile, make the drippy ganache by mixing the chocolate and oil and microwaving for 30 secs, stirring and then giving it another 30 secs until melted. Transfer to a squeezy bottle, then pour down the edges of the round cake to create the melting snow effect.

11 To finish, stick the eyes to the head using a little remaining buttercream. Poke the wooden dowel into the carrot nose, leaving some poking out to stick it to the face. Stick the five small black fondant balls for the mouth and the chocolate buttons down the front of the cake for buttons. Insert the chocolate sticks on either side for the arms. Bring the cake to room temperature before serving.

PER SERVING (30) 525 kcals, fat 28g, saturates 17g, carbs 63g, sugars 45g, fibre 1g, protein 5g, salt 0.4g