Twirlywoos Birthday Cake

Edith's love of the Twirlywoos started a good few months ago. For those of you not in the know, Twirlywoos is a kids TV programme featuring these characters. She laughs at them and dances when they do. It's so cute. We bought her lots of Twirlywoo bits for her birthday and I knew that her  cake would have to feature them. 

I had always planned to make Edith's cake but they got more and more elaborate. So in the end I decided to tone it down. A white chocolate drip cake with the Twirlywoo toys on top. It's a win win. I don't have to try and make them and she gets the toys to play with afterwards.

The toys fitted so well on top of the cake and Peekaboo, peaking out of the side. The cake just needed a few sprinkles and it was good to go. It was a labour of love. Taking 2 days in total but totally worth the reaction it got. Edith was so excited to see it.

Twirlywoo Drip Cake

- Serves 24 - 

400g softened unsalted butter

400g golden caster sugar

7 medium eggs

400g sifted self-raising flour

175g  sifted plain flour

grated zest and juice of 1 lemon

500g softened unsalted butter

1kg icing sugar, sifted

1tsp vanilla extract

1 tbsp whole milk

food colouring of your choice

100g white chocolate

50g double cream

sprinkles

- Grease and line five 20cm loose bottomed tins.

- Preheat the oven to 170°C (150°C fan oven) mark 3

-Cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. 

- Add the eggs one at a time and mix in. If the mixture looks as though it's going to curdle, mix in 1tbsp flour. 

- Fold in the remaining flour with the lemon juice and zest. 

- Bake for 20 - 25 minutes until a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean.

- Leave to cool completely.

- Once cool level the cakes with a cake leveler or sharp bread knife.

- To make the buttercream - add all the ingredients into a large bowl. Beat together with an electric mixer until the buttercream is smooth. Add in your desired colour. I went for blush pink.

- Assemble the cake taking one layer of sponge at a time. Spread an even layer of buttercream on top of each cake then add a sponge on top. Continue to do so until the cake is fully assembled.

- Crumb coat the cake but spreading a thin layer of buttercream on to the top and sides of the cake. 

- Place the cake into the fridge for 1 hour to set the buttercream.

- After the hour is up. Coat the cake in another layer of buttercream. This time make it thicker. Spread all over.

- Take a cake smoother and smooth the top and sides of the cake to give a neat finisher. I cannot recommend this enough. This is what will give your cake a professional finish.

- Place into the fridge to set.

- Make up the white chocolate ganache by heating the cream until it't just before boiling. Pour over the chopped chocolate. Leave to thicken up.

- Once thick, carefully spoon the ganache onto the cake to create the drips.

- Place the Twirlywoos on top and any sprinkles you'd like.

- Place back in the fridge to set.

- Serve once set.