An out of this world cake

Want to give your baking the wow factor? MARION McMULLEN serves up a showstopping cake

MARVEL’S new superheroes movie Avengers: Infinity War is breaking box office records all over the world, so what better way to celebrate than with your own galaxy cake? Dr Oetker has just brought out a new range of products including Midnight Magic sprinkles to give your cake the ultimate look.

GINGER AND LIME GALAXY MIRROR GLAZE CAKE Serves 16 INGREDIENTS:

For the cake: 250g unsalted butter, softened and cut into cubes; 100g light muscovado (or light brown) sugar; 100g caster sugar; 4 medium eggs; 1tsp Dr. Oetker madagascan vanilla natural extract; 275g plain flour; 2 tsp baking powder; 1 tsp ground cinnamon; 1tsp ground ginger; 90ml whole milk; 2tbsp blackberry, blueberry (or preferred) jam. For the buttercream: 250g unsalted butter, softened and cut into cubes; 1-2 limes (very finely zest 1 and squeeze to get 1 ½tbsp juice); 250g cream cheese; 650g icing sugar. For the glaze: 150g Dr. Oetker Fine Cooks’ White Chocolate, finely chopped; 4 x Dr. Oetker leaf gelatine soaked in 100ml of cold water for a few minutes to soften; 250g caster sugar; a few drops of Dr. Oetker food colour gel in blue, black and violet; 150ml double cream. To decorate: 1 x 110g Pack of Dr. Oetker Midnight Magic Sprinkles.

METHOD

1. Heat the oven to 180°C, 160°C fan, gas 4. Grease and then line two 18cm tins with baking parchment. Beat 250g of the butter with the brown sugar and 100g of the caster sugar until creamy and pale. Gradually beat in the eggs, then mix in the vanilla extract. Mix the flour, baking powder, cinnamon and ginger then sieve into the bowl with the butter mixture and gently fold together.

When almost combined, add the milk and continue to fold until smooth. Divide between the tins, smoothing the tops, bake for 25 minutes or until an inserted skewer comes out clean.

2. For the buttercream, beat the remaining butter and icing sugar until smooth and creamy. Add the lime zest, juice and cream cheese, gently whip until combined (don’t over mix or it may become runny). Set aside in the fridge.

3. Put the white chocolate into a jug and set aside. To make the glaze, put the gelatine in a small bowl and cover with cold water, leave to soften for five minutes.

Put the remaining caster sugar in a small saucepan with 100ml of water, mix then put on a low heat to dissolve. Bring to the boil, then allow to bubble for one minute (it should be just over 100°C).

4. Take off the heat, squeeze the excess water from the gelatine, stir it into the sugar mixture and then mix in the cream until smooth.

Pour this over the white chocolate then blend or carefully mix until very smooth. Strain through a sieve then divide between five bowls – making one with just over a third of the mixture and the rest even.

5. Dye the larger portion with a few drops of the black food gel; the others with varying amounts of the blue or purple gels to make light and dark shades (though not too dark so they show against the black).

Set aside to cool and firm up, stirring now and again (if it goes too solid just pop in the microwave for a few seconds).

6. Meanwhile, spread the jam over the top of one of the sponges, with a palette knife, spread a layer of buttercream over then press the other sponge on top. Palette the remaining buttercream around the sides and top ensuring it is smooth. Set aside on a wire rack placed over a tray.

7. Once the glaze is thick enough to pour, pour the black into the bowl with the darker blue or purple. Then dispense this over the cake and drizzle over the other colours, concentrating mostly on one side.

Use a spatula to cover any bare patches. Gently swirl the colours together with the palette knife. Scatter the Midnight Magic sprinkles across one half of the top of the cake and down one side.

Leave to set before transferring to a serving plate.