Football Pinata Cake -Raspberry and Almond

To make the cakes

Cream together the butter, almond extract (or vanilla) and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs a little at a time and whisk until the mixture is pale and mousse like.  Fold in the flour then divide equally between the two tins.   Bake for one hour exactly until the tops are golden, slightly risen and springy to the touch.

Allow to cool for about ten minutes in the tins then as they will have have domed in the oven above the level of the rim of the tin, slice off the tops with a sharp serrated knife so that the cakes are flush with the top of the tin. Turn out the cakes onto cooling trays and leave to cool completely.

When cool slice a little from the cake which will be the bottom so that it has a flat surface to sit on. Turn the flat side uppermost then scoop out a hole which will house your sweets.  Scoop out a hole in the second cake.

To make the buttercream

Beat the butter until well creamed then add the icing sugar (sifted) a quarter at a time beating really well between each addition. Finally beat in the raspberry powder (or vanilla and cream cheese).  You will have a smooth, creamy light filling.

With the scooped out middles uppermost coat them in buttercream and smooth with the back of a spoon then turn over so that the mounds are uppermost. Apply a crumb coat of buttercream and then smooth with a plastic spatula.  Pop into the freezer for 15-20 minutes or until the buttercream is quite firm.  Reserve left over buttercream to use as the cake filling.

You will find the cakes easier to handle if they are placed on a piece of greaseproof paper on a board or baking sheet during freezing.

If you make the almond and raspberry cake with a marzipan layer – Take from the freezer and place each half cake, mound side uppermost on a work surface. Use half of the marzipan and roll into a circle as thin as you can using icing sugar to dust the work surface.  Take your half cake and carefully cover the buttercream with the marzipan.  Smooth out ensuring there are no creases, bubbles or tears then trim with a knife or pizza cutter.  Repeat with the second cake.

If you decide to omit the marzipan layer continue to work with the fondant shapes directly onto the buttercream.

Place the half cake with the sliced off “flat bottom” onto the cake board. A blob of buttercream will ensure you cake adheres to the board.

Fill the hole with sweets then spread a layer of jam on the exposed sponge rim of the cake followed by a layer of buttercream. Repeat with the second cake but place a round of edible rice paper secured with jam and buttercream on the second cake to hold the sweets in place.

Mount the second cake onto the base cake and smooth the edges together as best you can. Don’t worry too much the seam will be covered in the “football” shapes.

Pop the cake in the fridge for about 2 hours to firm up before applying the shapes.

Cut out 12 pink (or black) shapes and 20 white shapes then start at the top with a coloured shape, continue until you have covered the ball completely. A tool with teeth, a lemon zester or fork will imitate stitching if worked around each shape.  It also helps to secure the shapes.