WISE OWL CAKE

Certainly a different way of encouraging children to do their sums 

MATERIALS

• 18cm ( 7in ) round cake,
• 30cm ( 12in ) square cake board  
• 1.35kg ( 24lb ) sugarpaste / rolled fondant
• black, orange & yellow food coloring pastes
• icing/confectioners' sugar in a sugar shaker
• sugar glue
• 315g ( 10oz / 1½ cups ) buttercream 

EQUIPMENT

•  large rolling pin.
•  sharp knife
• .8cm ( 3in ) square cake card
• template
• 8cm ( 3in ), 5cm ( 2in ) & 4cm ( 1½in ) circle cutters
•  large petal cutter
•  number cutters. 

WISE OWL CAKE METHOD:

Color 375g ( 12oz ) of sugarpaste black. Using icing sugar to prevent sticking, roll out and cover the cake board completely, trimming excess from around the edge and putting it aside to dry. Cover the square cake card in the same way, using the black trimming m the crust from the cake, and slice the top flat. Cut a 2.5cm ( 1 in ) wedge from the create the base of the owl. Cut two more wedges from either side, slanting up to the top to shape the owl. Spread the cake with buttercream to help the sugar paste stick.

Knead orange and yellow food colorings into 750g ( 1½lb ) of sugar paste until it is slightly streaky. Thinly roll out 100g ( 3½oz ) of this orange-yellow sugar paste and place the back of the cake down onto it. Cut around the shape of the cake. Cover the front c the cake in the same way and then position the cake on the board. Thinly roll out another 100g ( 3 % oz ) of orange-yellow and cut a strip to cover the top of the cake and down the sides. Don't worry if the cake covering is untidy as this will be covered later.

Roll out 75g ( 2 oz ) of white sugar paste and cut the tummy patch using the template. Roll out 30g ( 1 oz ) of white and cut a circle using the large cutter. Trim a ' v ' from the top and bottom to make the owl's face. Using 315g ( 10oz ) of the orange-yellow sugar paste, thinly roll out and cut petal shapes for the owl's feathers, sticking them around the base first, then build up around the cake and cover the first layer of sugar paste.

With the remaining orange-yellow sugar paste, model two pointed ears, indenting in the center of each with your finger. Create six long teardrop shapes. Stick three teardrop shapes onto either side of the cake for each wing. Color 100g ( 3 ½  oz ) of sugar paste yellow. Using 45g ( 1 ½  oz ), shape three tapering teardrop shapes into a foot, sticking in place and graduating in size. Make the other foot in the same way. With the remaining yellow, shape a pointed beak with two teardrop shapes, the top one thicker than the other.

With sugar glue, stick the cake card on top of the owl's head. With black, model small flattened ovals for the pupils, then roll out and cut the glasses using the circle cutters and cut strips for the hat tassel. Using white, model flattened oval shapes for eyes and a tiny highlight for each eye. Thinly roll out and cut numbers to decorate the cake board.

USEFUL TIP

Leave the number answers loose on the cake board and ask the child to push them into the correct place.

Also  Read:  FAIRY TOADSTOOL CAKE