Ingredients
Butter cream
Decorations
Method
1.Preheat oven to 150°C/300°F. Grease deep 25cm (10-inch) round cake pan; line base and side with baking paper, extending paper 5cm above side. Butter and flour two 2-litre (8-cup) pudding steamers.
2.Make 2 packets of cake mix according to directions on packets. Spread mixture into round pan; bake about 1¼ hours. Stand cake in pan 10 minutes before turning, top-side up, onto wire rack to cool.
3.Make remaining cakes according to directions on packets. Pour mixture evenly into pudding steamers; bake about 40 minutes. Stand cakes in pans 5 minutes before turning onto wire rack to cool.
4.To make butter cream, beat butter until white as possible, gradually beat in half the sifted icing sugar then milk, then remaining icing sugar. Beat until smooth.
5.Level round cake top; secure cake, cut-side down, on 35cm (14-inch) round cake board with a little butter cream. Reserve 1 cup butter cream. Tint remaining butter cream green; spread all over round cake.
6.Place coconut and a few drops of green colouring in a plastic bag; rub until coconut is evenly coloured. Sprinkle coconut over cake.
7.Trim tops from pudding cakes to make flat. Using small serrated knife, trim cakes so they make a 14cm (4¾-inch) diameter ball when joined together; secure cakes together with a little butter cream. Spread butter cream all over ball.
8.Knead icing on surface dusted with a little sifted icing sugar until icing loses its stickiness. Roll two-thirds of the icing on surface dusted with sifted icing sugar into a 3mm thickness. Cut out 22 hexagon shapes.
9.Tint remaining ready-made icing black; roll into a 3mm thickness on surface dusted with sifted icing sugar. Cut out 12 pentagon shapes.
10.Using picture as a guide, secure shapes onto ball with a little water. Place ball on top of cake.
Get the kids ready for the next world cup qualifier.This cake will surely encourage them to go outside and practise their ball skills. You can make it easier on yourself by using a Styrofoam ball instead of a cake for the shape of the soccer ball. Position the soccer ball on the cake about an hour before the party. The ball and ‘field’ cakes can be made two days ahead. White icing is also known as fondant (it’s the traditional icing used on wedding cakes). It is available in packets from the supermarket and cake decorating shops.
Note
