How to Make a Super Mario Brothers Birthday Cake

Method

1. Preheat your oven to 180°C (160°C fan/Gas 4). Grease and line three 20cm round cake tins with baking parchment.

2. Cream the 500g softened butter and caster sugar together in a large bowl until pale and fluffy. Gradually add the beaten eggs and vanilla bean paste, mixing well after each addition. If the mixture starts to curdle, add a tablespoon of the flour.

3. Gently fold in the self-raising flour using a large metal spoon, then stir in the milk to achieve a dropping consistency. Divide the batter equally between the three tins.

4. Bake for 35-40 minutes until the sponges are well-risen and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Leave to cool in the tins for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

5. Prepare the buttercream by beating the 500g butter until very soft, then gradually adding the icing sugar and a splash of milk until smooth and spreadable. Use a small amount to sandwich the three cooled sponges together, then coat the entire exterior of the cake in a thin layer (crumb coat). Chill for 30 minutes.

6. Knead the blue fondant until pliable and roll out on a surface dusted with icing sugar. Drape over the cake, smoothing down the sides with a cake smoother and trimming the excess at the base.

7. Create the Mushroom Kingdom landscape: Roll out green sugar paste to cut out rolling hills for the base. Roll thick cylinders of green paste to create the iconic 'warp pipes'.

8. Use the yellow sugar paste and a star-shaped cutter to create Power Stars. Cut small white circles and red circles to assemble Toadstool mushrooms.

9. For the finishing touch, create gold coins using yellow fondant rounds brushed with gold lustre dust. Arrange all elements around the cake using a tiny amount of water or edible glue to secure them. Top with Mario and Luigi figurines if desired.

Notes

Questions