Jolly Roger cake

Equipment

You'll need a 60cm square cake board.

Ingredients

3 x 340g packets golden buttercake mix or 3 quantities Homemade buttercake (see below)

3 quantities Buttercream icing

1m licorice strap

Black writing icing

1 1/2 x 14g packets Juicy Fruit chewing gum (12 pieces)

Homemade buttercake

125g butter, softened

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 cup caster sugar

2 eggs, lightly beaten

1 1/2 cups self-raising flour, sifted

1/2 cup milk

Buttercream icing

125g butter, softened

1 1/2 cups icing sugar mixture

1 tablespoon milk

Method

Step 1

Preheat oven to 180°C/160°C fan-forced. Lightly grease a 7cm-deep, 20cm (base) round cake pan, a 7cm-deep, 15cm (base) round cake pan and 7cm-deep, 24cm (base) square cake pan. Line bases and sides with baking paper.

Step 2

Make packet cakes following packet directions, or homemade cake.

Step 3

Make homemade buttercake: Using an electric mixer, beat butter, vanilla and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating after each addition. Add flour and milk. Stir to combine.

Step 4

Divide mixture evenly between prepared pans. Bake 15cm cake for 35 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean. Bake 20cm cake for 45 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean. Bake 24cm cake for 1 hour 10 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean. Stand cakes in pans for 5 minutes. Turn out onto wire racks to cool completely.

Step 5

Make buttercream icing: Using an electric mixer, beat butter in a bowl until light and fluffy. Gradually add icing sugar mixture and milk, beating constantly until combined.

Step 6

Place 20cm cake on a board. Using a serrated knife and 20cm round pan as a guide, cut an 8cm-wide crescent from 15cm cake (see notes). Discard trimming. Using icing to secure, place crescent under 20cm cake on board.

Step 7

Using a serrated knife, cut square cake into four 5.5cm x 11cm rectangles. Using a 3.5cm round cutter, cut 8 circles from remaining cake. Arrange rectangles and round pieces to form crossbones.

Step 8

Reserve 2 teaspoons icing. Spread remaining icing over top and sides of cake. Smooth icing (see note). Cut four 5.5cm pieces from licorice. Cut into pieces to form eyes. Position on cake. Cut two 3.5cm pieces from licorice. Cut into pieces for nose. Position on cake. Cut remaining licorice strap lengthways into thin strips. Cut 1 strip into three 10cm pieces. Position under nose to form a mouth. Place chewing gum in mouth to form teeth. Arrange remaining licorice strips around edge of cake to outline skull and crossbones, trimming to fit. Using black writing gel, tint reserved icing grey. Smudge grey icing over teeth. Serve.

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