Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 160°C/325°F/gas 3.
2. To prepare the giant cupcake tin, the easiest way to grease it is to melt a small bit of butter and use a pastry brush to brush the tin, this is the best way to get into every crevice. Another good way to make sure the tin is well greased is to use cake release spray. Once tin is thoroughly greased, line the bottom round area of the base of the cupcake with some parchment paper. Dust with flour then set tin aside.
3. For the cake, combine butter and sugar in a large bowl. Beat with an electric mixer until well creamed and the colour is light. Beat in eggs, one at a time for about 2-3 minutes after each addition, making sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl between each egg. Beat in the vanilla.
4. Add the flour, salt and milk and beat just until incorporated.
5. Spoon batter into prepared giant cupcake tin, filling the base to about 2 fingers from the top, and spooning the remaining batter into the top half of the cupcake mould.
6. Bake for 1 hour 10 minutes – 1 hour 15 minutes, until a skewer inserted comes out clean.
7. Remove from oven and leave to cool in the baking tin on a wire rack for 30 minutes, then carefully turn sponge out from mould and leave to cool completely before decorating. Be sure not to leave the cake in the tin for any longer than 30 minutes otherwise it may begin to sweat, which will then make turning the cake out difficult as it may stick to the pan.
8. Once sponge is completely cool, use a bread knife to level off the cakes so that the top of the base and the underside of the cupcake “top” are both level and flat. Set aside.
9. For the buttercream, in a large bowl, beat butter with an electric mixer until smooth. Sift in icing sugar and add milk or cream, vanilla and salt. Start beating together with mixer on lowest speed, once icing sugar has been mixed in, increase speed and beat until frosting is smooth and creamy. Make sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl so that everything is well incorporated. Beat in gel or paste food colouring if using any.
10. To decorate, turn the base of the cupcake upside down so that the cut side is on the board and what will be the base is now facing up. Brush all over with apricot jam. Set aside.
11. Knead the ready to roll icing until soft and pliable on a surface dusted with cornflour. Colour fondant with gel or paste colouring of choice, kneading well until fondant is evenly coloured. Roll out on a surface well dusted with cornflour until it is large enough to entirely cover the base of the cake. Carefully roll the fondant onto the rolling pin then carefully unroll it onto the prepared base of the cupcake. Or, simply slide your hands under the fondant and lift it up off the counter top, then carefully place it over the cake, making sure it is centred. Use your hands to smooth the icing out on top and then use your fingers to gently stick the fondant into the crevices on the sides of the base. Trim away excess icing and discard, or reroll and use to make other fondant decorations.
12. Carefully turn the cupcake’s base upside down, so the cut side is now facing up, and place on a cake board or serving plate. Spread about 5 Tbsp buttercream onto the cut surface of the base of the cupcake with a spatula. Do the same to the flat side of the top of the cupcake. Carefully position the top of the cupcake onto the base of the cupcake so that both level and iced sides are now stuck together. Ice the top of the cupcake with a small amount of frosting using a spatula, then fill a piping bag fitted with a large piping tip of choice with the rest of the frosting. Pipe swirls all around the top of the cupcake and fill in any gaps with dabs of icing. Decorate with Smarties or any other sweets and chocolates you like.