
About the bake
This fun chocolate piñata cake has an exciting hidden surprise inside. Perfect for a Halloween trick or treat party or even as a birthday celebration cake. The kids (and adults) are sure to love this.
Method
Step 1:
Preheat the oven to 180°C (fan 160°C, gas mark 4). Grease and line three 8” circular cake tins.
Step 2:
Cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
Step 3:
Gradually add the eggs one by one, mixing in between.
Step 4:
Sift in the flour and baking powder and fold in.
Step 5:
In a separate small bowl mix together the cocoa powder and boiling water to a paste then add to the mixture, stirring to combine.
Step 6:
Once fully combined, carefully pour into the 3 prepared tins in equal measures.
Step 7:
Bake the sponges in the oven for 25-30 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean when inserted in the centre of the cake.
Step 8:
Once baked, leave the sponges to cool on a wire rack.
Step 9:
Once fully cooled, carefully cut out a large circle from the centre of two of the sponges using a pastry cutter, these will become the bottom and middle sponges.
Step 10:
Place the bottom base on a cake board or cake stand that you want to present your cake on (it will be difficult to move once filled).
Step 11:
Beat together the icing sugar, cocoa powder and butter to make your buttercream (you may need to add a splash of milk to loosen up).
Step 12:
Spread a thin layer of buttercream on the bottom layer of your cake (not covering the hole) and place the second layer on top.
Step 13:
Fill the hole in the centre with your chocolate sweets.
Step 14:
Spread a thin layer of buttercream on the top of the sponge and place the remaining sponge layer without the hole on top to seal in the sweets.
Step 15:
With the remaining buttercream spread generously on the outside of the cake (or pipe if preferred).
Step 16:
Decorate with chocolate sprinkles and serve.
Ingredients
For the Cake
- 260g Unsalted butter (softened)
- 260g Billington's Unrefined Dark Muscovado Sugar
- 5 Free range medium eggs
- 260g Allinson's Self Raising White Flour
- 2.5 tsp Baking powder
- 8 tbsp Boiling water
- 60g Cocoa powder
For the Buttercream
- 500g Silver Spoon Icing Sugar
- 75g Cocoa powder
- 300g Unsalted butter (softened)
- 2 tbsp Milk
- 500g Silver Spoon Icing Sugar
For the Filling
- 200g Chocolate sweets (smarties or m&ms)
Utensils
- 3x baking tin 8in
Recipe Reviews
Love this recipe, made it for my grandchildren birthdays and they absolutely loved it and it tastes great.
I always trust in reviews and this time feel that I have to leave mine. I bake a lot, not the professional baker, but still bake plenty of cakes. This time I was looking for something for kids birthday. As kids are not my area of expertise I was so happy finding this recipe. Good i did the test bake…. I was so excited during the process. It was truly simple to bake and easy to decorate. Unfortunately the entire cake went to garbage after first bite. The sponge turned to be very hard and dry. Frosting was like a sand. I guess the right method for buttercream frosting would be to beat butter at first. So in the end I copied the piñata idea and made it with different sponge and different frosting. It was a hit! So if you are looking for something nice and you don’t care about the taste, this is recipe for you. Otherwise try something different!
I made this the day before and decorated it the next morning . It was delicious . I was wondering if making 2 days ahead and not decorating until then would be okay ?
Amazing perfect cake for a birthday it special occasion, best cake I have made in years
hi can i use caster sugar instead of brown sugar?
Yes you could use caster sugar if you prefer in this cake. The recommended muscovado sugar will add a lovely rich depth of flavour to your chocolate cake.
Love this recipe! Made it for my sons birthday and he absolutely loved it! Highly recommend to everyone :)
Ingredients
For the Cake
- 260g Unsalted butter (softened)
- 260g Billington's Unrefined Dark Muscovado Sugar
- 5 Free range medium eggs
- 260g Allinson's Self Raising White Flour
- 2.5 tsp Baking powder
- 8 tbsp Boiling water
- 60g Cocoa powder
For the Buttercream
- 500g Silver Spoon Icing Sugar
- 75g Cocoa powder
- 300g Unsalted butter (softened)
- 2 tbsp Milk
- 500g Silver Spoon Icing Sugar
For the Filling
- 200g Chocolate sweets (smarties or m&ms)
Utensils
- 3x baking tin 8in