Party piñata cake

INGREDIENTS

Cake:
340g packet buttercake mix
30cm-round cake board
125g butter, softened
1½ cups (240g) icing sugar mixture
1/3 cup (35g) cocoa powder
2 tablespoons milk

Decorations:
23 large chocolate coins
19 medium chocolate coins
13 small chocolate coins
150g rainbow choc-chips
½ teaspoon vegetable oil
450g milk chocolate Melts, melted
50g milk chocolate, melted
50g packet Smarties
200g packet giant Smarties
toy hammer

METHOD

Preheat oven to moderate; grease and line deep 15cm-round cake pan. Make cake according to directions on packet, pour into pan until three-quarters full; bake in moderate oven about 45 minutes. Stand cake in pan 5 minutes; turn onto wire rack to cool. Using serrated knife, level cake top.

Cover cake board with greaseproof decorative paper, contact, or any type of patterned foil-like gift wrapping. Position cake on board, cut-side down. Using ruler and toothpicks, mark 11cm circle in centre of cake. Using markings as a guide and small serrated knife, cut deep hollow into cake.

To make chocolate butter cream:
Beat butter in small bowl with electric mixer until as white as possible. Sift cocoa powder in with half the icing sugar. Gradually beat into bowl, then beat in milk and remaining icing sugar.

Spread chocolate butter cream all over cake; fill hollow with coins and ½ of the rainbow choc-chips.

To make chocolate shell: grease 2.25-litre (9 cup) pudding steamer with oil; place bowl in freezer 10 minutes. Place melted chocolate Melts in steamer; swirl chocolate to coat inside of steamer evenly. Continue swirling until chocolate begins to set and stops flowing around the steamer; try to keep the chocolate a uniform thickness, particularly at the edge. Stand until chocolate is almost set. Freeze until chocolate sets completely.

Carefully place pudding steamer with set chocolate shell over cake; using hot cloth, briefly rub outside of bowl. Chocolate shell will slip from bowl to completely cover cake.

Using melted milk chocolate, secure remaining rainbow choc-chips, Smarties and giant Smarties to chocolate shell.

Allow birthday child to break chocolate shell open with toy hammer.

tip Make patty cakes from any leftover cake mixture.