Bonfire Cake

There are of course a myriad of Bonfire Night Cake recipes about but personally, I am all about speed and efficiency and of course letting the children join in the fun. As a child, I spent many hours baking with both my grandma’s and my grampy (grandfather) who were all cooks in their day-to-day lives, one in service, one at the hospital and grampy a cook in the merchant navy so we were always about food.

This brilliant little cake takes little or no time to prepare and is messy fun at its best.

INGREDIENTS

1 large swiss roll
Breadsticks
Chocolate finger biscuits (you could also consider using kit kat, Mikado sticks or matchmakers)
Red and yellow roll out fondant icing
Chocolate butter cream

First of all, make the buttercream. This is fun. Put all the ingredients into a large deep bowl (or if you are working with young children, it will be everywhere) and whisk until all combined and smooth and leave to chill.

Cut your swiss roll up into 1 cm rings and pile into a pyramid type shape which will be the base of your bonfire cake.

Then, using a spatula or a spoon, smooth the creamy rich buttercream over the top making a small peak at the top.

Now, start creating the structure by sticking the ‘wood’ in the form of the choc fingers and pieces of breadstick. Don’t forget to put some round the base of the bonfire!

Now, get the little ones to roll out the icing and cut into flame shapes and add to the bonfire. Of course, this is meant to be eaten and fun too so it doesn't matter much about the artistry but it will taste brilliant and it’s a great way of entertaining children when the nights are drawing in.

There you have it, Bonfire Night.