CANDY CANE HEAVEN

Heaven Candy cane

Make the first bite of Christmas a piece of cake. Our magnificent candy-striped cover bake will conjure up all the magic of the season, and our super-easy cupcakes will delight little helpers…

RECIPES LIBERTY MENDEZ / LIZZIE HARRIS PHOTOGRAPHS ELLIS PARRINDER (CAKE) / MIKE ENGLISH (CUPCAKES)

Food styling: Isla Murray, Philippa Reid-Redmond Prop styling: Max Robinson Festive candy cane cake

Impress your guests with this showstopper featuring favourite maple syrup, a candy cane striped filling and gorgeous ombré icing.

Serves 14-16 | Prep in 1hr 15 mins + chilling | Cook in 30 mins | Faff factor | V

For the sponge • 325g unsalted butter, softened, plus extra to grease • 200g soft dark brown sugar • 100g caster sugar • 3tbsp maple syrup • 6 large eggs, beaten • 2tsp baking powder • 325g self-raising flour • 2tbsp mixed spice • 2tbsp ground ginger • ¼tsp ground cloves

For the icing • 500g unsalted butter • 1kg icing sugar • 3tbsp maple syrup • red gel food colouring

To decorate (optional) • 100g white chocolate, melted • 2tbsp Asda Christmas sprinkles • candy canes • sweets of your choice Turn page for recipe

To make the sponge 1 Preheat the oven to 180ºC/ 160ºC fan/gas 4. Grease 3 x 18cm sandwich tins (each around 4cm deep) with butter and line with non-stick greaseproof paper. 2 Place the butter, sugars and maple syrup in a large bowl and beat with an electric whisk for 5-8 mins until light and fluffy. Gradually tip in the eggs, still mixing, until combined – don’t worry if it splits. Add the baking powder, flour, spices and a pinch of salt and fold in gently. 3 Divide the mix evenly between the tins. Bake for 30 mins or until a skewer inserted comes out clean. Leave to cool in the tins for 5 mins, then tip out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

To make the bark 4 Place a sheet of greaseproof paper on a tray and spoon on the melted white chocolate. Add the sprinkles and put in the fridge to set for 1 hr or until needed.

To make the icing 5 Place the butter, sugar and maple syrup into a large bowl and beat with an electric whisk for 8 mins until light and fluffy. Add 1 tbsp hot water and beat to loosen the mixture. 6 Tip ¼ of the icing into a large bowl and colour it deep red using the gel food colouring. Place into a piping bag. Fill up a second piping bag with around ⅓ of the remaining white icing. Cut a 2cm hole at the bottom of each bag. To construct 7 Place one sponge on a board or plate and pipe a 4cm circle of red icing in the middle. Like a dart board, pipe around the circle with the white icing, and continue so you have 2 rounds of white and 2 of red icing. Place the second sponge on top and continue with the dart board piping again – you may have to re-fill your piping bags. Place the final sponge on top. 8 Lightly crumb coat the outside of the cake using a little of the white icing, smoothing it with a palette knife – this doesn’t have to be perfect, you’re just aiming to stick the crumbs in place. Place in the fridge to set for 1 hr.

To decorate 9 Meanwhile, colour the icing for the ombré effect by putting the remaining deep red icing into a piping bag. Put ⅓ of the white icing into a piping bag and divide the remaining icing in half. Using the red gel food colouring, colour one bowl a little lighter than the red, and the other a little lighter again. Place into piping bags. You should now have 4 piping bags of icing, ascending in colour strengths. Cut a 1.5cm hole in the bottom of the piping bags. 10 Pipe the darkest red icing around the bottom of the cake – you should have enough for 2 rows. Continue piping up the cake with the colours, getting lighter as you go, until you finish with the white. 11 To neaten, use a palette knife or cake scraper and, holding it directly level with the side of the cake, swipe around the sides. You can stop to remove the excess icing as you go. Continue around the cake in this way. 12 To finish, cut the white chocolate bark into shards using a sharp knife and push these into the top of the cake. Add the candy canes, snapping some to make them shorter, and the sweets. This cake is best kept in the fridge overnight and served the next day, or it will keep for up to 4 days at room temperature in an airtight container.

ART - please change colours to match claims, I’ve updated copy

Each 186g portion contains

Energy 3,658kJ 874kcal 44%

Fat 46.9g High 67% Sat Fat 28.6g High 143% Sugars 89.3g High 99% Salt 0.5g Low 8%

of your reference intake Typical energy value per 100g 1966kJ/470kcals

Chocolate peppermint cupcakes

These cute tree-themed cupcakes based on a classic festive flavour pairing are delicious, fun and super easy to make – get the kids involved, too!

Serves 12 | Ready in 1hr 30 mins | Faff factor | V

For the cupcakes • 45g cocoa powder • 175g unsalted butter, very soft • 175g soft brown sugar • 1tsp vanilla essence • 3 medium eggs, lightly beaten • 115g self-raising flour • 1tsp baking powder • 1 heaped tbsp Greek yoghurt • 2tbsp whole milk For the buttercream • 450g icing sugar • 225g unsalted butter, very soft • ½tsp green food colouring • ½tsp peppermint essence

To decorate (optional) • 3 x packs Asda Ready to Roll Icing in white, red and green • 6 candy canes • icing sugar, to sprinkle

Turn page for recipe

1 Preheat the oven to 180°C/160°C fan/ gas 4. Line a 12-hole muffin tray with paper cases. Sift the cocoa powder into a large bowl, add 60ml hot water and mix to a paste. 2 Add the butter, sugar, vanilla essence and eggs to the bowl and mix briefly with an electric whisk, or beat well by hand. Sift in the flour and baking powder and continue to whisk until everything just comes together – don’t overmix. 3 Divide the mixture between the paper cases, placing a heaped tablespoon of mixture into each case. Even the tops with a teaspoon to help produce an even bake. Bake for 20-22 mins until risen and springy to the touch. Allow to cool on a wire rack. 4 To make the buttercream, put the softened butter into a large bowl and beat with an electric whisk for 1-2 mins. Gradually sift in the icing sugar, beating well between each addition until incorporated and the mix is pale and fluffy. Separate the buttercream into 2 batches, one slightly larger than the other. 5 Using the smaller batch of buttercream, spoon 1tbsp onto 6 of the cupcakes. Use a butter knife to spread the buttercream, using an upward flicking motion to make a spiky, snow effect. Set aside. 6 For the second batch, separate into 2 bowls. Add the green food colouring to one bowl and mix well. Place a small, fluted nozzle into a large piping bag. Smear the piping bag with the green buttercream and the other side of the piping bag with the remaining white buttercream. Carefully press the piping bag together to exclude any air and fold over the end. Holding the piping back directly over the cupcake swiftly and firmly pipe in a circular motion making each turn slightly smaller. Press the piping bag down lightly to lift away. 7 For the decorations, line a tray with baking paper. Cut the white icing into 9 portions (you will only need 6). Mould 6 of the portions into tall conical tree shapes. Set aside on the tray to set. As they begin to harden you can even out any lumps. Using a very small amount of the red and green icings, make tiny dots, about 1-2mm in size. Randomly arrange on the trees. Set aside. 8 To make the trunks, carefully cut the candy canes down to size just under the hook. Stick the trees firmly onto the cane canes and stick straight into the snow frosted cakes. Ensure they are well stuck in.

Each 137g portion contains

Energy 2,522kJ 603kcal 30% Fat 34.1g High 49% Sat Fat 21g High 105%

of your reference intake Typical energy value per 100g 1841kJ/440kcals Sugars 55.9g High 62% Salt 0.67g Med 11% Cook’s tip

Cupcakes can be cooked up to 3 days in advance. Store in an airtight container.

Food styling: Lizzie Harris Prop styling: Luis Peral