Rocky Robin Cake Recipes

Steps:

• Sit the cake on a large board or flat serving plate. Brush a little of the jam over the cake. Dust a clean surface with a little icing sugar, then roll out the marzipan until big enough to cover the cake (use string to help you measure). Carefully lift the marzipan onto the cake, pat down to cover smoothly and trim any excess off the bottom. Brush all over again with more jam.
• Knead 1kg white icing until smooth, then roll out on an icing sugar-dusted surface until a little bigger than the marzipan size. Carefully lift onto the cake, partially pat down the sides to smooth and stick, allow the rest to stick in folds, or tease into shape with your fingers (step A). Trim any ragged edges.
• For the robins, roll 3 walnut-size balls from some of the remaining white icing. Halve the icing that is left. Knead brown colouring into 1 half to give a rich colour, wrap well - this will be the branch. Divide the other half into 3 pieces, and colour 1 red, 1 pale brown and 1 green.
• Re-dust the work surface, pinch off 3 marble-size balls of red icing and roll each into a teardrop shape for the breast. Use a cocktail stick to add texture, then stick 1 onto each robin - brush a little water onto the icing to help it stick. As you stick it, flatten the base of the ball slightly so that the robins stand up.
• Divide the pale brown icing into 3 balls and roll each into an oval shape, then pinch 1 end of each into a gentle point (step B). Stick onto the robins so that the point is the head, and trim the tail if you need to. Poke a clove into each brown tip to make a little beak. Pull the round bit off the end of 6 cloves to leave spiky ends, and poke into robins to make feet. Use black writing icing to add eyes (step C).
• Roll most of the dark brown icing into a long branch and attach to the cake with a little more water or jam. Roll smaller branches from the remaining dark brown icing. Pinch leaves from the green icing and attach. Add the robins and enjoy.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Sift together the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda and salt. Sift once more, then sift again into a 9 inch square pan.
• Make a well in the center, and measure in the oil, vinegar and vanilla. Pour water over all and mix with a fork until smooth.
• Bake in the preheated oven for 30 to 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Allow to cool.
• To make the frosting: In a saucepan, combine chocolate, margarine and water. Cook over low heat until melted and smooth. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla and confectioners' sugar. Fold in miniature marshmallows. Spread over cake.

Steps:

• Mix together in medium saucepan, sugar and cocoa.
• Add milk and butter, stir over medium heat and bring to a rolling boil.
• Boil for one minute, then remove pan from heat.
• Quickly add vanilla, peanut butter, and oatmeal.
• Drop by teaspoonfuls onto wax paper or aluminum foil.
• Let cool for 20 minutes.

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Butter the base of a 23cm loose-bottomed cake tin and line with baking parchment. Melt the butter in a small pan over a low heat, then remove from the heat and leave to cool for 3 mins. Whisk the melted butter, oil, yogurt, milk, coffee and eggs together in a large bowl until combined. Whisk the sugar, flour, baking powder and cocoa together in a separate large bowl, breaking up any lumps of sugar with the whisk. Gradually whisk the wet ingredients into the dry until smooth, then pour into the tin. Bake for 55 mins-1 hr until firm to the touch and a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean with no wet crumbs. Leave to cool completely in the tin.
• For the rocky road, tip the biscuits into a food bag and bash with a rolling pin until roughly broken up. Melt the butter, chocolate and golden syrup together in a large pan over a low heat, stirring until smooth. Remove from the heat and leave to cool a little.
• Tip the crushed biscuits, mini marshmallows and any extras into the pan and stir until everything is completely coated in the chocolate mixture. Spoon the rocky road over the cooled cake and smooth with a spatula so the top is completely covered. Sprinkle over some extra biscuit pieces, marshmallows and any other bits you'd like to add. Leave to set at room temperature for at least 2 hrs, or chill for 1 hr to help it set more quickly. Remove the cake from the tin, slice and serve. Will keep in an airtight container in a cool place for up to two days.