Crackin’ Easter Chick Cake

Method

1. A day or two before making the cake, cover a round 12″ cake board with a layer of the white ready-to-roll icing, then store in a cool, dry place to harden.
2. Preheat the oven to 150°C/Gas 2. Grease and flour a Medium and a Large Hemisphere Cake Pan.
3. Cream the butter and sugars together until light and fluffy, then add the eggs, one at a time, beating the mixture between each addition. Fold in the flour and mix until combined. Transfer the mixture into the prepared tins, and place into the oven. Because the tins are different sizes, there will be a difference between baking times: the medium cake will take approx. 45 minutes to an hour; the large cake will take about 1 hour 30 minutes. To test whether they are done, insert a skewer into the middle of the cake – if it comes out clean the cakes are ready. Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely in the tins before turning out onto a wire cooling rack.
4. Cover both cakes with a thin, smooth crumb coat of frosting and place in the fridge for an hour to harden. Set the remaining frosting aside until needed.
5. Take approx. 600g of the white ready-to-roll icing, and roll it into a circle big enough to cover the large cake. Place onto the cake, then use your hands to smooth the icing over it before trimming away the excess. Leave to set.
6. Mix approx. 400g of the white ready-to-roll icing with 5 drops of yellow Wilton Colour Right food colouring to make a pale pastel yellow icing. Roll it into a circle big enough to cover the medium cake. Place onto the cake, then use your hands to smooth the icing over before trimming away the excess. Leave to set.
7. To make the cracked part of the shell, roll out the modelling paste, and use a knife to cut out two long, deep strips approx. 8cm deep x 50cm long – reserve the rest of the modelling paste. On each strip, leave one edge straight, and cut the other edge in a zigzag pattern to create the points.
8. Carefully upturn the large cake so the un-iced, flat edge is facing upwards. Using a little water attach the ‘cracked’ strips of icing to the cake, front first and then the back of the cake; to make it easier, carefully roll each strip up to pick it up, and unroll around the cake, gently pressing it into place. Leave for approx. 30 minutes to harden.
9. For the coloured bands around the cake, mix approx. 200g of the ready-to-roll icing with a few drops of Wilton Food Colouring – we did two green bands and one yellow, but you can use whichever colour you choose. Roll the icing out and use a knife to cut out three long, thin strips approx. 2.5cm deep x 50cm long. Using a little water, attach the bands to the cake, positioning the top one so that it covers the join between the cake and the ‘cracked shell’ icing.
10. To make the grass, use some green Wilton Food Colouring to colour the remaining frosting – add the colour a drop or two at a time until you’re happy with the shade. Use a piping bag to pipe the ‘grass’ around the inside of the egg shell, then carefully lower the yellow-iced cake onto this to create the chick’s head.
11. Shape the eyes and beak with the black and orange Ready-to-Roll Icing. Attach to the chick’s head using a little water.
12. Pipe some ‘grass’ onto your iced cake board, and carefully sit the cake on top of this. If you like, use a drop of Pink Wilton Food Colouring to colour some white modelling paste, shape into tiny flowers with an icing cutter, and place onto the grass.