How to make JD’s space cakes (recipe)

I want to call them space cakes, because there are stars in space – JD, 5

JD and I love baking and the more we do it, the more creative he becomes. These cakes were entirely his idea. We made the sponges in star-shaped moulds before flipping them upside down, piping with vanilla buttercream and sprinkling with coloured sugar.

I think they’d make lovely party cakes. Here’s what to do…

Ingredients

For the sponge cakes

• 175g unsalted butter
• 200g caster sugar
• Seeds of 1 vanilla pod
• 2 medium free range eggs
• 200g self raising flour
• 12 star shaped silicone cupcake moulds

For the icing

• 100g unsalted butter
• 200g icing sugar
• 1 tbsp milk
• 1/2 tbsp vanilla extract or the seeds of 1 vanilla pod
• Icing bag fitted with a large star piping nozzle
• Coloured sugar sprinkles (we got ours from ASDA)

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 190C (170C fan assisted)
2. Beat together the butter, vanilla pod seeds and sugar until light and fluffy
3. Whisk in the eggs
4. Fold in the flour and mix until smooth
5. Add up to 2 tbsp water until you have a manageable batter
6. Divide the batter between the 12 silicone cases
7. Bake for 20-25 minutes until springy to the touch
8. Remove from the oven and cool on a wire rack
9. Meanwhile, prepare the icing by beating the butter until fluffy and then slowing adding the icing sugar
10. Add the vanilla and beat again, then add the milk drop by drop until you have a good firm piping icing
11. When the sponge cakes are completely cold, trim a sliver of the top of each one so that they will sit flat when turned upside down
12. Fill the piping bag with the buttercream and twist the top so that the mixture is firmly packed inside
13. Hold the icing bag directly above each cake and squeeze, twist and pull to get the desired shape (you can practice this a few times first on a piece of spare greaseproof if you want to)
14. Sprinkle immediately with the coloured sugar in a variety of colours and leave to set

We like these cakes because they look unusual and they are not overloaded with icing, which can be a bit sickly. Do please let me know if you try them.

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