100′s and 1000′s Rainbow Cake

 

Pinterest, is my Mecca for inspiration.  The social media tool is filled with images that you can ‘pin’ to your boards and share with your followers. I have already designed my dream house in the suburbs, my beach house, my country house, I have updated my wardrobe, collected enough inspirational quotes to fill a room, I have compiled my favourite men into one easy-to-see-at-one-time board and I have collected almost a hundred images of dishes that I want to try.  Pinterest is my number one inspiration board for cooking at the moment.

Last week was my cousin’s birthday and I just couldn’t be bothered trawling through all of my cookbooks looking for a spectacular cake to make. Within two minutes on Pinterest and I had found the perfect cake…

This was the cake I had to make!

Now, I’m going to do two versions of this recipe, the first is the ‘from scratch’ version for those of you who like to cook cakes from scratch. If you’re new to the kitchen or short on time then follow the ‘cheats’ version - you need hardly any ingredients and it’s quick to bake.

Here we go….

FROM-SCRATCH VERSION

INGREDIENTS

For the cake

2 cup self-raising flour

270g softened butter

3 tsp vanilla extract

1 1/2 cup caster sugar

6 eggs

6 tablespoons milk

3 x food colourings

For the icing

500g butter, softened

6 cups icing sugar

6 tablespoons milk

2-3 packets 100′s and 1000′s

METHOD

For the cake

Preheat oven to 180 degrees. Grease and line 3 x 20cm loose-bottomed round tins. If you don’t have 3 tins no problems, just keep reusing the one.

Sift flour into a bowl, add butter, extract, sugar, eggs and milk; beat with electric mixer on low-speed until ingredients are combined.

Increase speed to medium; beat until mixture is changed to a paler colour.

Divide the batter amongst three bowls, then carefully squeeze just a few drops of colouring into each.

Pour your first colour into your tin and put in the oven and cook for 30-40 minutes (until firm to touch). If you have multiple tins then you can cook the cakes at one time.

Once cooked, allow to cool for 5-10 minutes in the tin before turning top-side up onto wire rack to cool.

For the icing

Beat the butter in a small bowl with electric mixer until as white as possible.

Beat in sifted icing sugar and milk, in two batches.

For the next step, see ‘ICING THE CAKE’ below.

CHEATS VERSION

INGREDIENTS

For the cake

2 x packs Betty Crocker vanilla cake mixes

For the icing

2 x containers Betty Crocker icing

3 x food colourings of your choice

2-3 x packets of 100′s and 1000′s

METHOD

Preheat oven to 180 degrees. Grease and line 3 x 20cm loose-bottomed round tins. If you don’t have 3 tins no problems, just keep reusing the one.

Combine both packet mixes and necessary ingredients in a large bowl, following the steps provided on the packet create the batter.

Divide the batter amongst three bowls, then carefully squeeze just a few drops of colouring into each.

Pour your first colour into your tin and put in the oven and cook for 30-40 minutes (until firm to touch). If you have multiple tins then you can cook the cakes at one time.

Once cooked, allow to cool for 5-10 minutes in the tin before turning top-side up onto wire rack to cool.

For the next step, see ‘ICING THE CAKE’ below.

 

ICING THE CAKE

(Only start the icing steps after your cakes have completely cooled).

Okay so firstly choose the cake with the flattest top and put aside.

Now you want the top of your other two cakes to be reasonably flat, this makes layering much easier. Using a serrated knife, carefully skim off the top of the remaining two cakes.

Choose one as your base and place on your serving platter. Put a large blob of icing on top of the cake and smooth over using a palette knife (or butter knife). You want the icing to be at least 1cm thick.

Carefully place the 2nd cake on top and repeat the icing process.

Now place the last cake (which should be the cake you didn’t cut) on top and ice the tops and sides. Don’t worry if you make a mess on your serving tray, you can easily clean it up after.

Now it’s time for the messy bit. Unless you want 100′s and 1000′s flooding your kitchen then place your cake into your kitchen sink (if possible, push your tap away from the sink). Now hold the packet of 100′s and 1000′s right above the top of the cake and pour until the entire top is covered.  Now with clean and dry hands grab a handful of 100′s and 1000′s and pat them onto the side of the cake and repeat until the entire cake is covered. You will probably lose half the 100′s and 1000′s in the sink but that’s okay.

Voila!

 

 

 

Where do you often go for inspiration? Pinterest, magazines, google?