Ingredients

Method

• 200 g plastic icing
• A few drops yellow food colouring
For the vanilla sponge:
• 4 free-range eggs
• 400 g sugar
• 1 t vanilla extract
• 350 g flour, sifted
• 2 1/4 t baking powder
• 175 ml vegetable oil
• 250 ml milk
For the butter icing:
• 500 g butter, softened
• 300 g icing sugar, sifted
• 2 t black food colouring
• 1 t liquorice essence
• 1 t yellow food colouring

Method

Ingredients

To make the vanilla sponge: Preheat the oven to 180°C.

Beat the eggs and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add the remaining ingredients and beat until smooth – take care not to overbeat.

Grease two circular springform baking tins, each 22 cm in diameter, and line with greaseproof paper.

Divide the cake mixture evenly between the tins and bake for 20 minutes, or until golden and just set. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool.

To make the butter icing: Beat half the butter until smooth, then add half the icing sugar and mix well. Add the black food colouring and liquorice essence and beat until evenly distributed.

Remove the icing from the mixing bowl, then wash the bowl and repeat the process using the remaining butter, icing sugar and yellow food colouring.

To serve: Generously spread the coloured icings on the top of sponge cakes, alternating colours before stacking.

Roll out the plastic icing and cut a swirl pattern large enough to cover the top of one of the cakes.

Drape over the top cake and work a little yellow food colouring into the remaining plastic icing, then stretch it out and wind it to create a free-form rose. Position on the cake and attach.