Caterpillar Cake Recipe

Preheat the oven to 180˚C (fan 160°C, gas mark 6). Grease and line a swiss roll tin with baking paper.

Whisk the caster sugar and eggs in a large bowl until pale and light.

Sift together the flour and cocoa powder and gently fold into the egg mixture using a metal spoon. Pour into the prepared tin, tilting it so that it covers the whole surface.

Bake for 8-10 minutes until firm yet springy to the touch. Dust a large sheet of paper with caster sugar and then turn the sponge onto it. Trim off the edges. Make a dent 1cm from the edge and tightly roll up the sponge, starting at the shorter edge of the cake, and leave to cool.

Whilst the Swiss roll cake is cooling, make the caterpillar decorations. First line a baking tray with baking paper.

Place a 7cm round cookie cutter on the paper and fill with melted white chocolate. Gently shake the tray so the chocolate levels out. Add two red Smarties for the rosy cheeks.

Cover with the remaining buttercream, using a fork to create a log effect. For a finishing touch, dust with icing sugar.

Spoon the remaining white chocolate into a piping bag and snip off the tip to make a small hole.

Pipe four ‘J’ shapes and four ‘L’ shapes for the caterpillar legs, each 2cm tall. Pipe two small lollipop shapes for the caterpillar antennae.

Place in the fridge to set (1-2 hours).

Meanwhile, roll out a small piece of white sugar paste and cut out 2 oval shapes for the eyes and two small dots for the pupils (you can use the tip of a small round piping nozzle for this).

Once the white chocolate decorations are set, carefully remove the circular face from the cookie cutter.

Spoon the melted dark chocolate into a piping bag and snip off the tip to make a small hole. Use a dab of chocolate to stick the oval sugar paste eyes to the face. Pipe two chocolate ovals on top of the white eyes and add the sugar paste pupils. Pipe a smiley mouth and leave to set.

To make the buttercream icing, mix together the icing sugar and butter, then add the melted chocolate and milk. Beat until smooth.

Unroll the sponge, spread over a generous layer of buttercream and roll up tightly again.

Coat the outside, front and back of the cake in chocolate buttercream. Use the tip of an icing spatula or spoon to make grooves down the caterpillar’s body.

Use the Smarties to decorate the caterpillar’s body. Finish by adding the face, antennae and legs to bring the caterpillar to life.