Name: Confetti cake
Prep time: 45 min
Cook time: 80 min
Total time: 125 min
Yield: 12
Ingredients: Cooking oil spray, to grease; 250g unsalted butter, chopped, at room temperature; 1 ½ cup caster sugar; 2 tsp vanilla essence; 4 free-range eggs; 4 cups self-raising flour, sifted; 1 1/3 cup milk; 4 Tbsp 100s and 1000s; 145g packet mini M&Ms; Edible pastel confetti sprinkles, to decorate; Chocolate freckle; ½ cup white chocolate melts, melted; 1 tbsp confetti sprinkles; Buttercream frosting; 175g butter, softened; 2 ¼ cups icing sugar mixture; 1-1 ½ tbsp milk; ½ tsp vanilla essence

Tip! Trade the confetti for 100s and 1000s when decorating the side of the cake. A 60g bag of edible sprinkles will be enough to decorate the whole cake and make the freckle.

Ingredients

Cooking oil spray, to grease

250g unsalted butter, chopped, at room temperature

1 ½ cup caster sugar

2 tsp vanilla essence

4 free-range eggs

4 cups self-raising flour, sifted

1 1/3 cup milk

4 Tbsp 100s and 1000s

145g packet mini M&Ms

Edible pastel confetti sprinkles, to decorate

Chocolate freckle

½ cup white chocolate melts, melted

1 tbsp confetti sprinkles

Buttercream frosting

175g butter, softened

2 ¼ cups icing sugar mixture

1-1 ½ tbsp milk

½ tsp vanilla essence

Method

Preheat oven to 180°C fan-forced (200°C conventional). Grease a 26cm wide and 4cm deep heart-shaped ring tin and line the base and sides with baking paper.

Beat 125g butter, ¾ cup sugar and 1 tsp vanilla together in a large bowl using an electric mixer, until pale and creamy.

Add 2 eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition, scraping down sides of bowl.

Lightly fold 2 cups flour into creamed mixture alternately with 2/3 cup milk, beginning and ending with flour. Stir through 2 tbsp confetti sprinkles, then spoon mixture into prepared pan, smoothing top.

Bake for 40 minutes, or until skewer comes out clean. Cool in pan for 5 minutes, before turning onto a wire rack to cool completely. Wash and dry tin, then re-grease.

Repeat steps 1 to 5 to make another cake.

To make chocolate freckle, put a sheet of baking paper on a flat surface. Using a permanent marker, trace around the base of the heart tin. Flip paper and transfer to a tray. Using a small spoon spread the melted chocolate inside the heart shape, leaving 1.5cm from the edge of the chocolate to the traced guideline. Sprinkle over the confetti, and refrigerate for at least 15 minutes or until chocolate is set.

Meanwhile, to make frosting, using an electric mixer, beat butter and vanilla in a bowl until pale. Gradually add icing sugar mixture and milk, beating constantly until combined.

Once both cakes are cooled completely, trim the tops with a large serrated knife so they are flat. Place one cake trimmed side up on a flat serving plate, top with 1/3 of the buttercream, and spread until even. Place the second cake on top, trimmed side down, and press down gently.

10.

Spread the remaining buttercream over the top and side of the cake-don’t worry about icing the inside heart.

11.

Decorate the side of the cake with confetti, starting from the base of the cake working your way up until about 3-4cm to create a band of confetti.

12.

Fill the inside heart cavity of cake with M&Ms, and gently press the white chocolate freckle onto the top of cake. Serve.