Halloween slash cake

QServes 16

QPrep 45 mins plus cooling

QCook 30 mins

140g unsalted butter, plus extra

for the tin

100ml grapeseed oil, or another

flavourless oil

200ml milk

3 tbsp yogurt

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 large eggs, at room temperature

250g light muscovado sugar

250g plain flour

3 tsp baking powder

50g cocoa powder

3/4 x 340g jar strawberry jam

11/4kg ready-to-roll white fondant icing FOR THE BUTTERCREAM

600g icing sugar, sifted, plus extra

for dusting

300g butter, softened red food colouring

1 Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Butter the bases of two 20cm sandwich tins and line with baking parchment. Melt the butter in a pan, then remove from the heat and beat in the oil, milk, yogurt, vanilla and eggs. Combine the dry ingredients with a large pinch of salt, squishing any lumps with your fingers. Tip the wet ingredients into the dry, then whisk until smooth.

2 Divide the batter between the tins and bake for 25-30 mins on the same shelf of the oven until risen and a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean. Leave to cool for 10 mins in the tins, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

3 To make the buttercream, beat together the sugar, butter and a few drops of the red food colouring. Add 2-3 tbsp of boiling water if needed to soften the mixture until you have a smooth, spreadable icing. 4 Trim the cakes flat if needed, then halve each through the middle with a large, serrated knife. Put one cake layer on a board or plate, spread over a thin layer of the buttercream and dot over a third of the jam. Top with another cake layer and repeat with the buttercream, jam and cake, finishing with a layer of cake. Use most of the remaining buttercream to ice the cake all over, reserving a small amount.

5 Roll the fondant icing out on a surface dusted with icing sugar until large enough to cover the top and sides of the cake. Carefully lift it onto the cake and smooth down to help it stick. Use a sharp knife to cut slashes in the icing, then drizzle a little of the reserved buttercream mixed with some water into each to look like blood. PER SERVING 844 kcals, fat 31g, saturates 16g,

carbs 135g, sugars 121g, fibre 1g, protein 5g, salt 0.3g