Toolbox cake

Equipment

You'll need a 33cm x 42cm rectangular cake board and tool-shaped cookie cutters.

Ingredients

2 x 340g packets golden buttercake mix or

2 quantities Homemade buttercake (see related recipe)

100cm piece licorice strap (see note) bubble gum tape

Butter biscuits

60g butter, softened

1/3 cup caster sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 egg, lightly beaten

2/3 cup self-raising flour

1/2 cup plain flour

1 teaspoon milk

Royal icing

1 1/2 cups pure icing sugar, sifted

1 eggwhite

1/2 teaspoon lemon juice

Buttercream icing

250g butter, softened

3 cups icing sugar mixture

2 tablespoons milk

Orange, red, yellow and blue food colourings

Method

Step 1

Preheat oven to 180°C/160°C fan-forced. Grease a 7cm-deep, 20cm (base) square cake pan. Line base and sides with baking paper. Line a large baking tray with baking paper.

Step 2

Prepare packet cakes following packet directions or homemade cakes (see related recipe). Spread into prepared pan. Bake for 1 hour or until cooked through. Stand in pan for 5 minutes. Turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

Step 3

Meanwhile, make biscuit dough: Using an electric mixer, beat butter, sugar and vanilla until light and fluffy. Add egg, beating until combined. Using a wooden spoon, stir in flour and milk until combined. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead until smooth. Press dough into a disc. Wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Step 4

Roll out between 2 sheets baking paper until 5mm thick. Using cookie cutters, cut tool shapes from dough (should make around 15). Place, 2cm apart, on prepared tray. Bake for 12 minutes or until just firm to touch. Stand on tray for 5 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Step 5

Make royal icing: Lightly whisk eggwhite and lemon juice together in a bowl. Gradually add icing sugar, whisking until smooth and combined.

Step 6

Divide royal icing between 4 bowls. Tint orange, red, yellow and blue. Spoon icing into separate piping bags fitted with 2mm plain nozzles (see tip). Decorate tools with icing. Set aside for 20 minutes or until set.

Step 7

Using a serrated knife, level top of cake if necessary. Cut cake crossways in half. Stack cake halves on cake board (see Cooking class below).

Step 8

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

Step 9

Tint icing blue. Spread top and sides of cake with icing. Cut 65cm from licorice strap. Trim to 5mm in width (discard trimmings). Position around centre of cake to form lid of toolbox, trimming if necessary. Cut remaining licorice strap into two 11cm long pieces and two 2cm long pieces. Position as handles and hinges on cake. Arrange biscuits and bubble gum tape around cake. Serve.

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