Description
A fun and festive Mummy Mallow Cake perfect for Halloween parties, featuring a rich vanilla sponge layered with morello cherry jam and coconut, topped with creamy soft cheese icing and decorated with marshmallows, liquorice allsorts, and royal icing strips to create a spooky mummy effect.
Ingredients
Scale
For the filling
- 6 tbsp Tesco Finest morello cherry jam
- 2 heaped tbsp desiccated coconut
For the sponge
- 275g unsalted butter, softened
- 375g caster sugar
- 2 tsp vanilla bean paste
- 6 medium eggs, beaten
- 425g (14oz) plain flour, sifted
- 3 tsp baking powder
- 5 tbsp hot water
For the icing
- 200g (1lb) icing sugar
- 125g soft unsalted butter
- 125g (4oz) soft cheese
To decorate
- 200g (7oz) ready rolled royal icing
- 200g (7oz) marshmallows
- 2 x 190g bags liquorice allsorts
- 1 x tub pirate sprinkles
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare Tins: Preheat your oven to Gas Mark 4, 180°C (fan 160°C). Lightly grease and line three 18cm (7in) cake tins with nonstick baking paper to prevent sticking during baking.
- Cream Butter and Sugar: In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to cream the softened butter, caster sugar, and vanilla bean paste together until the mixture is very light and fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes. This step aerates the batter for a tender sponge.
- Add Eggs Gradually: Slowly add the beaten eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. If the mixture starts to curdle, stir in 1 tablespoon of the flour to stabilize it.
- Combine Dry Ingredients and Water: Fold in the remaining sifted flour, baking powder, and hot water in stages, mixing gently until the batter is smooth and well combined.
- Divide Batter and Bake: Pour the batter evenly into the prepared tins, aiming for about 495g (15 1/2oz) per tin for even thickness. Smooth the tops and bake in the preheated oven for 30 to 40 minutes until the cakes have risen, are golden, springy to the touch, and a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Cool the Cakes: Let the cakes cool in their tins for 5 minutes before carefully removing them onto a wire rack. Allow to cool completely. Once cooled, trim the cakes to level the tops and bottoms for even layers.
- Make the Icing: In a clean bowl, use an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment to beat the soft cheese, softened butter, and icing sugar on medium-high speed for 5 to 7 minutes until the icing is pale and fluffy.
- Assemble the Cake: Place a small dot of icing on a 30cm (12in) round cake board to secure the first cake layer. Spread half the morello cherry jam evenly over this layer, leaving a border around the edge, then sprinkle with desiccated coconut. Add the second cake layer on top and repeat the jam and coconut spread. Finish by placing the final cake layer on top.
- Rough Ice the Cake: Using a palette knife, apply the cream cheese icing all over the cake in a thick, rough, and slightly paddled manner for texture, rather than a smooth finish.
- Create the Mummy Face Decoration: Build a white marshmallow mound in the middle of the cake top. Use two yellow and black liquorice allsorts as eyes, securing them into the marshmallows and cake with cocktail sticks. Make eyebrows with black liquorice pieces and form a mouth using striped black and white liquorice sweets.
- Add Royal Icing Strips: Unroll the sheet of royal icing and cut it into thin strips. Layer these strips over the mummy face to mimic bandages, leaving the sides of the cake clear.
- Decorate the Cake Sides: Use black skull liquorice allsorts and pirate sprinkles to decorate the sides of the cake, adding fun and spooky details.
Notes
- To freeze, bake cakes without icing or decoration. Cool completely, wrap in clingfilm and foil, and freeze up to 3 months.
- Defrost cakes wrapped at room temperature for several hours before adding icing or decorations.
- Use cocktail sticks carefully to secure decorations safely, especially for children.
- This cake is best served at room temperature to enjoy the full texture and flavor.
- Trim cake layers evenly to avoid a wonky final cake.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice (1/16 of cake)
- Calories: 682 kcal
- Sugar: 81 g
- Sodium: 0.4 g
- Fat: 28 g
- Saturated Fat: 16 g
- Unsaturated Fat: around 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 105.6 g
- Fiber: 1.2 g
- Protein: 6.8 g
- Cholesterol: approx. 120 mg
