Special Occasion Cakes Recipes - Bluebird Bon-voyage Cake

Ingredients

• 450g royal icing

• blue food coloring

• 800g sugar-paste icing

• 20cm round madeira cake

• 250g butter icing

• 45ml apricot jam, warmed and sieved

• edible silver balls

• No 1 writing nozzle

• greaseproof paper piping bags

• 25cm round cake board

• thin pale blue ribbon

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Method:

1. Make two-thirds of the royal icing softer to use for the run outs. Make the rest stiffer for the outlines and further piping. Tint the softer icing bright blue. Cover and leave overnight.

2. Make two different-size bird templates, and use to pipe the run-outs on greaseproof paper. Using a No 1 writing nozzle, pipe the outlines, and then fill in. You need four large and five small birds. Leave to dry for at least 2 days.

3. Tint two-thirds of the sugar-paste icing blue. Form all the icing into small rolls and place them alternately together on a work surface. Form into a round and lightly knead to marble.

4. Cut the cake horizontally into three and sandwich together with the butter icing. Place the cake on the board, flush with an edge, and brush with apricot jam. Roll out the marbled icing and use to cover the cake and board.

5. Using the No 1 writing nozzle and the stiffer royal icing, pipe a wavy line around the edge of the board. Position the balls evenly in the icing. Secure the birds to the cake with royal icing. Pipe beads of white icing for eyes and stick on a ball. Drape the ribbon between the beaks, securing with icing.