Fruit Bowl Birthday Cake

If it’s a birthday, then there must be cake. And if it’s a birthday celebrating two decades of putting fruity goodness at the heart of what we do, then that cake had better be something spectacular. What’s that you say? Sounds like just the thing to get stuck into on an autumn afternoon? You’re so right – which is why we’ve created this step-by-step guide to making your very own Showstopper featuring all your favourite Fruit Bowl goodies. Crumbs! Let’s bake…

Fruit Bowl Birthday Cake

Makes 1 x 4 layer 8” Cake

For the sponge:

450g unsalted butter, softened

450g caster sugar

8 large eggs

450g self-raising flour

2 tsps baking powder

120ml semi-skimmed milk

4 individual packets Fruit Bowl Fruit Flakes, your favourite flavour

For the cake icing:

800g white chocolate

400ml double cream

To decorate:

500g white chocolate

5 tbsps vegetable oil

5 different gel food colours (we used this – https://www.sainsburys.co.uk/gol-ui/Product/cake-decor-rainbow-cake-colour-gels-50g)

3 ice-cream cones

1 bag pretzel sticks

5/6 mini doughnuts (shop bought or homemade)

1 box Fruit Bowl Peelers, your favourite flavour

1 multipack bag Fruit Bowl Fruit Flakes, your favourite flavour

1 multipack bag Fruit Bowl Dino Yogurt Eggs

1 multipack bag Fruit Bowl Yogurt Raisins

1 multipack bag Fruit Bowl Yogurt Flakes, your favourite flavour

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 160°C (fan) and line four 8” cake tins with baking parchment.
2. In a stand mixer or large mixing bowl (using an electric hand whisk), cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
3. Add the eggs and mix until combined.
4. Add in the flour and baking powder, followed by the milk and mix until no lumps remain.
5. Fold through the Fruit Flakes using a spatula.
6. Divide the batter evenly between the lined cake tins and bake for 25-30 minutes until golden and springy to touch.
7. Allow to cool completely before levelling off if needed.

To make the icing:

1. Heat the 800g white chocolate in a microwave for 30-second increments until fully melted.
2. Pour in the double cream and whisk until thick – like double cream. If your icing is too soft, place it in the fridge for a while and then try whisking again.

For the decorations:

Even a cake needs to be properly dressed, so you’ll want to some accessories and a party hat (or five). The best thing about these? They’re made to be eaten – and are entirely scrumptious thanks to a generous coating of Peelers and Fruit Flakes.

Doughnuts, pretzel sticks and party hats

1. Melt the remaining white chocolate and divide evenly into 5 bowls.
2. Add 1 tbsp of vegetable oil to each bowl and mix until combined. This will stop it from seizing when you add the colourings.
3. Colour each bowl of melted chocolate a different colour, using as much or as little colouring as you like.
4. Dip your doughnuts in the various colours and sprinkle with Fruit Flakes, pop in the fridge to set.
5. Dip your pretzel sticks in the various colours and sprinkle some with Fruit Flakes, pop in the fridge to set.
6. For the party hats, using a pastry brush, paint your ice-cream cones using the different coloured chocolates.
7. Place in the fridge to set before applying a second coat and decorating with Fruit Peelers and Fruit Flakes. To make the toppers, roll up Peeler strands, secure with a toothpick and poke through the top of each ‘hat’.

To give your creation some pro-level pizzazz, you’ll need to your bark to be as good as your bite. Follow the steps below to get a proper patisserie look – and no nibbling (yet)!

Bark

1. Line a small tray with baking parchment. Dollop 4 tsps of each remaining coloured chocolate randomly on the parchment, tap on the work surface and then swirl with a toothpick.
2. Sprinkle the Yogurt Flakes and Yogurt Raisins across the melted chocolate. Put in the fridge until set.

You should have a little left of each colour for your rainbow drip.

Time for the build, so take care – we don’t want any wobbles at this point.

To assemble the cake:

1. Spoon about 6 tbsps of the white-chocolate icing into a bowl and colour with a little of your fifth colour of food colouring. Set to one side as this will be used to decorate the cake.
2. On a display plate/cake stand, place the first layer of sponge, securing with a little white-chocolate icing underneath. Top with an even layer of white-chocolate icing before sandwiching with the second layer of sponge. Repeat until all four layers are stacked.
3. Coat the outside of the cake with a thin layer of white-chocolate icing before popping in the fridge to set.
4. Once set, cover the top and sides of the cake with more white-chocolate icing, making it as smooth as possible.

For the drip:

1. Take the remaining white chocolate colours from making the decorations, reheat each one for a few seconds in the microwave until runny enough to drip.
2. Drip a little of each colour down the left side of the cake to form a rainbow drip.

For the other decorations:

1. Take the white chocolate icing that was coloured and set aside, and form a wavy path up one side of the cake. It doesn’t need to be too neat as it is the ‘glue’ for the Dino Yogurt Eggs. Lightly push the Dino Yogurt Eggs into the icing until completely covered.
2. Cut the doughnuts in half and place them in alternating colours around the top edge of the cake.
3. Place the ice-cream cone party hats on top, along with the pretzel sticks.
4. Cut your bark into shards and push them into the side of the cake underneath the drips, using a little melted chocolate to secure if needed – but they should stick without.

Enjoy!