18th Birthday Cake

Today I'm going to take you through step by step how I made this epic cake! Steer clear if you don't like chocolate (I think that's a good quote I should use more often!)

To start with I baked some cake (shock!). I made a 5 egg batch of my chocolate fudge cake, which you can find here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YOmzXp_Mtyk

Recipe:

• 440g self raising flour

• 375g caster sugar

• 5tbsp cocoa power

• 2 tsp bicarbonate of soda

• 1 tsp salt

• 5 tbsp cocoa powder

• 375g vegetable oil

• 375g milk

• 5 eggs

• 5 tbsp golden syrup

I baked this two 12" x 2" tins, a 3" tin and a 4" tin. Just like the picture above:

Now it's time to decorate:

1. Firstly I levelled the top of all my cakes, and split the round cakes into 2 even layers.

2. Next, place each part of your '1' template on the strips of cake and cut around all the pieces. Place the 3" and 4" cakes on the 8 template and cut the top of so that they but up to each other and create a nice shape.

3. Align all your pieces on a cake board which is sat on a turntable with a non-slip mat. This ensures they are all in the correct position before which stick them down.

4. Lift each piece of cake and add a pat of ganache (300g dark chocolate melted with 150ml double cream) underneath so the cake won't slide around. Then spread a thin layer of ganache on top and place the top layer on that.

5. Now it's time to ice the cake so just spread a thin layer of ganache around all the sides and the top of the cake. (If you forgot the take the centres out of the 8 then do this now too!!)

6. Chill the cake for around 10 minutes to set that ganche slightly.

7. I originally began by piping ganache onto the chocolate finger then sticking it to the side of the cake, but after 2 or 3 decided it would be much quicker to pipe or spread a thin layer of ganache to the side of the cake then sick the fingers onto that.

8. Once you have bordered each cake, simply pour a thin layer of slightly molten ganache and then fill the cavity with all the chocolates you can get your hands on!

Chocolates I used:

• Malteasers

• 'White chocolate malt balls' (poundland)

• Magic stars

• Digestive nibbles

• Nestle pick and mix (which had: Rolos, Munchies, Carmacs and Toffee Crisp)

• M&Ms (100% use these as they add a lovely pop of colour)

And that is all there is to it! If you want a full video, then click here. Or watch below...