Precious Art By Precious People

Polka Dot Birthday Cake

Ingredients:

• Oil or melted butter, for greasing
• 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tbsp. baking powder
• ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
• Generous ¾ cup superfine sugar
• 3 eggs, beaten
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 2 tbsp. milk
• Sugar-coated chocolate candies and birthday candles, to decorate

Filling & topping:

• 5 tbsp. apricot jelly
• 1 tbsp. lemon juice
• 1 lb. 2 oz./500 g ready-to-roll fondant

Method

Preheat the oven to 325 F. Grease and line two 8-inch square layer cake pans. Sift the flour and baking powder into a large bowl and add the butter, sugar, eggs and vanilla extract. Beat well until the mixture is smooth, then stir in the milk. Divide the mixture between the prepared pans and smooth the surfaces with the spatula. Bake in the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes, or until risen, firm, and golden brown. Let cool in the pans for 2-3 minutes, then turn out and finish cooling on a wire rack. Warm the apricot jelly with the lemon juice in a small pan until melted. Spread half over one cake and place the other cake on top. Brush the remaining jelly over the top and sides of the cake. Roll out the fondant and cover the cakes, smoothing with your hands, then trim the edges with a sharp knife. Decorate with candies and birthday candles.

Serves 8-10

Tested in the THASC kitchen. Photo by THASC.

THASC is a unique small American business producing cards and other promotional products.

www.thasc.com