MULTICOLOURED WAVE CAKE

Preparation time 45 mins Cooking time nil

Serves 10-16

5 x storebought mud cakes

(see Cook’s tip)

500g salted butter, at room

temperature

750g icing sugar mixture, sifted 1 Tbsp vanilla paste

3 Tbsp milk

6 tubes liquid food colouring (red,

blue, orange, purple, green, pink) Flowers, to decorate

STEP 1 Use a sharp serrated knife to trim mud cakes level to an even height, then refrigerate until cold (this firms them up to be easier to work with).

STEP 2 Combine butter and 1 cup of the icing sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer and beat with paddle attachment on medium speed for 5 minutes. With motor running, add remaining sugar 1/4 cup at a time. Add vanilla, increase speed to high and beat for 5 minutes. Add enough milk for a spreadable consistency.

STEP 3 With an icing knife, spread tops of cakes with 1cm thick icing and stack up (refrigerate if cakes are crumbly), then coat top and sides with icing, smoothing to a sheer finish.

STEP 4 Divide remaining icing among 6 small bowls and tint in 6 colours. Using a piping bag with an 0.5cm plain nozzle, pipe random dots on side of cake (don’t fully cover). Put cake on a turntable and spin at moderate speed. Using an icing comb, scrape around base twice, then zigzag up cake for a wave pattern. Or, put cake on a plate, turn gradually and use a straight-sided cake scraper to make a pattern. Decorate with flowers.