Spooky Mummy Parkin

Every year Halloween seems to get bigger and bigger in the UK. This year I helped to host a cake sale at my work and decided to bake something fun. At this time of year, treacle is one of my favourite flavours, and so I decided to bake a Parkin with a twist. I layered two parkin sponges with a thin layer of orange buttercream, which cuts through the darkness of the treacle nicely. The mummy decoration is simpler than it looks, and it was really well received. This easily serves 12 people and is perfect on a cold autumnal night.

Serves 12 (at least)

Ingredients:

For the Parkin:

• 300g golden syrup
• 150g treacle
• 220g butter
• 220g soft brown sugar
• 200g self-raising flour, plus extra for dusting the tins
• 4 tbsp ground ginger
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp nutmeg
• 1 tsp mixed spice
• 150g porridge oats 
• 2 eggs
• 1 tbsp milk

For the buttercream:

• 150g butter, softened
• 300g icing sugar, plus extra for dusting the surfaces
• 1-2 tbsp freshly squeezed orange juice

To finish:

• 300g white ready to roll fondant
• 50g black fondant
• Purple food colouring

Method:

1. Preheat your oven to 140c (130c fan)/285f/gas mark 1. Grease two 20cm springform cake tins lightly and dust with plain flour.

2. Melt the golden syrup, treacle, butter and brown sugar together in a large saucepan, stirring regularly. Once the butter has fully melted, set aside to cool for a few minutes to cool slightly.

3. Sift the flour, ginger, cinnamon,  and mixed spice into a mixing bowl. Pour over the melted syrup/butter, and beat to combine. Add the eggs, milk and porridge oats, and beat briefly.

4. Evenly divide between the two cake tins. Bake for 50-60 minutes, until the sides of the cake are coming away from the tin and the top feels firm to the touch. Leave to cool in the tin for 5 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

5. To make the buttercream, beat the butter until very soft and smooth. Sift over the icing sugar and add 1 tbsp of the orange juice. Beat until the icing sugar has been incorporated, adding more orange juice if it is difficult to stir.

6. To assemble the cake, place a tablespoon of buttercream on your serving tray/cake board. Place the first sponge on the board/tray on top of the buttercream, and press down lightly.

7. Spread half of the buttercream on top of the first sponge and level. Top with the remaining sponge. 

8. Use the remaining buttercream to cover the top and sides of the cake. This acts as a crumb coat, and tastes great! Place in the fridge to firm up for around 15 minutes.

9. Now for the fondant. I'm still a newbie to fondant work, but this is how I made this mummy face. Roll the black fondant out until it is 2-3mm thick. Cut out an oval about 10 x 6cm in size. 

10. Roll the white fondant out to a rough square about 20 x 20cm. Divide into 1-inch strips. 

11. Lay a piece of cling film on a chopping board/ flippaple surface. Place your black oval in the centre of the clingfilm. Start laying strips of the fondant around the black oval to look like bandages. Whenever one piece of fondant would lay over another (like a bandage would), slice one of the pieces of fondant. Place the first half on one side of the second piece. Use the other side of the sliced first piece on the other side of the second piece. This will give the impression that the bandages are running over each other, when in fact they're not! Keep going until you have a rough circle about 21cm. 

12. Colour a few tablespoons of the remaining white fondant purple. Roll out to about 1-2mm thickness and cut out eyes about 1 inch in diameter. Use offcuts of the black fondant to make the pupil and add a dot of white fondant to finish. Stick to the black fondant by dabbing a little water onto the black oval, then press the eyes lightly onto the fondant. 

13. Lightly roll the fondant to help adhere it together then top with clingfilm. Flip the fondant over and remove the base layer of clingfilm.

14. Remove the cake from the fridge. Dip a pastry brush in hot water and lightly dab over the cake, to help the fondant adhere.

15. Flip the fondant back onto the cake. Remove the top layer of clingfilm and fix if needed. I liked the look of some fondant bandages flowing over the cake, so I didn't trim it down.

16. Enjoy!