Gift Box Cake

Hi, this recipe was from the How To Cake It YouTube Channel run by Yolanda Gamp. The video she filmed on how to bake this cake is here and the link to the recipe on her blog is here. I also have her recipe book and the it is filled with the staple recipes for cake decorating and some other recipes for more speciality cakes. She also has loads of tips and tricks for cake decorating in it and if you enjoy baking, I really do recommend it. I made this cake while on holiday for my younger sister's birthday, it was a really rich and chocolatey sweet cake that was so yummy, even if it was huge! I did skip a lot of steps and adapted it to suit my needs, which is completely fine and something I suggest you do, as it makes it a bit less stressful. If you have keen eyes, you will have noticed that on the box I wrote @SunsetOnEtsy, this is my younger sister's business and I hope you go and check it out Here and Here and give her some business, it would make her day. Enjoy!!

Dietary Info:
-Suitable for Vegetarians
-Unsuitable for Vegans
-Contains Dairy {Use a dairy-free unsalted spread or block of butter, check on your fondant icing packet as some contain dairy others don't and if you, like me purchased your buttercream instead of making it make sure you buy a dairy-free or vegan one}
-Contains Gluten {You can use a gluten-free flour in place of the ordinary one and check your rice paper}
-No Nuts

Ingredients: -8lbs of Yo’s Ultimate Chocolate Cake {Recipe below} To Ice: -1 batch of Simple Syrup {Recipe Below} -1 batch of Italian Meringue Buttercream {Recipe Below} To decorate: -4lbs of teal fondant  -1oz grey gumpaste  -Silver lustre dust   -Pearl lustre dust (satin white) -White cotton candy  -Wafer paper 

Method:

1: Line your pans with parchment paper and preheat your oven to 350℉/175℃/155℃ fan/Gas 4. {I also greased my pans with margarine on the base and edges. Also, to line the tin: place the tin on top of the roll of baking paper. Then, draw a line around the base of the tin, like a stencil. Now, cut out this square and place on the bottom of the tin, the marg will help it to stick} Prepare 8lbs of Ultimate Chocolate Cake then divide the batter evenly into your two pans. Bake both cakes for 1 hour and 5 minutes. {I only had one pan so I had to bake it twice. Each took about 45-50mins}

TIP: Let your cakes cool completely in the pans before removing

2: Remove your cakes from their pans then level each of them making sure to save the humps. Cut your cake down to an 8” square. Level your humps then cut them into 4” squares. {I ended up not making a second cake with the humps, we just ate them, so I am afraid I have no edits for the steps on the second smaller cake} 3: Use Sir Squeeze A Lot to soak all of your layers with simple syrup them let them sit for a couple of minutes to absorb. {I left mine overnight in the fridge}

4: Fill your layers with Italian Meringue Buttercream and stack them in two cakes according to sizes  - 4” cake and 8” cake.

5: Crumb coat your entire cake with Italian Meringue Buttercream then place it in the fridge to chill. {I used a small offset spatula to help with the angles/corners on the cake} Remove your cake from the fridge then ice once again. Use a bench scraper to smooth out the edges and ice again to perfect if necessary. 

6: Measure the height of your cakes then roll out teal fondant into 4 large slabs large enough to  cover each side. Chill the fondant sheets. {It doesn't have to be for long, just 5mins would be fine}

7: Cover the 9” square styrofoam riser with clear piping gel. Roll out teal fondant and drape it over the riser. Smooth down the sides with a fondant smoother then carefully flip it upside down and smooth it out. Trim the excess. {I covered my riser in buttercream then fondant as I don't have any piping gel and it was fine}

8: Cut the fondant slabs to the appropriate height then smooth them to the sides of the cake - do 2 opposite sides at a time. Trim the excess flush to the edges then repeat with the two remaining sides. 

9: The 8” cake will have a lip so cut slabs of fondant taller than the cake. For the 4” cake (which will be closed), cut the slabs to the exact height of the cake.  

10: Fill in the top of the 4” cake with IMBC to even it out. 

11: Roll out fondant larger than the top of the 4” cake then drape the sheet over and smooth the top out. Chill your cake until the fondant is firm then cut the excess at the corners straight - like a lid. (Use photo as reference)

12: Use your grey gumpaste and a mold to form a heart (the locket). Roll your gumpaste thin then cover a lollipop stick and attach it to the heart. Make the key and loops out of more gumpaste. Then lastly, make a chain using a mold and set all your pieces aside to dry. Once they are dry, paint them with a  mix of silver lustre dust and clear food grade alcohol. {I just put a Freddo chocolate bar in the middle of the cake as an extra treat as I didn't want to buy another colour of fondant}

13: Roll out thin white gumpaste then cut it into bands. Use clear piping gel to stick a band down the centre of each side of the 4” cake. Make a bow out of more white gumpaste bands then let it dry. Once it’s dry, paint it with a mix of satin white lustre dust and clear food grade alcohol. For the 8” cake, create an unravelled bow out of more bands and let it dry.  Paint it in the same satin white mix. {This is completely optional, I didn't use any fancy pastes/dust on top of the bow I created, in fact it was very spontaneous as I used the scraps to make it, I had planned on skipping this step!}

14: Use a black food coloring marker to write “Tiffany & Co.” on the top of the box. Use a photo as reference. {This is the photo on Yolanda's blog, and on mine I wrote @SunsetOnEtsy which is the name of my sister's online jewellery business, link at the top of the page!!}

15: Cut out some wafer paper to fit inside the open box cake then lay it inside. Press and flatten white cotton candy into the bottom of the 8” cake pan to form to the shape then lay it on top of the wafer paper. Lastly, carefully lay the necklace into the box and position it until you are satisfied. {I didn't have any candyfloss so I just used rice paper and it was fine}

How To Cake It | Yo's Ultimate Chocolate Cake:

https://howtocakeit.com/blogs/recipes/yos-ultimate-chocolate-cake?

This makes a 4lb portion of cake. {So for the gift box cake; double quantities}
Make sure to use room temperature eggs and butter

Ingredients:
-1 cup unsalted butter {I left mine to get to room temperature, so it was easier to mix in}
-2+1/2 cups sugar {I used granulated sugar, but caster would be fine}
-4 large eggs {I had medium eggs}
-1 cup Dutch-Processed cocoa powder {Mine was just a Cadbury's Bournville Hot Chocolate Cocoa Powder}
-2+3/4 cups all-purpose flour {This is plain flour in the UK}
-1+1/2tsp baking soda {This is bicarbonate of soda in the UK}
-2tsp baking powder
-1tsp salt

Method:
1: Preheat the oven to 350℉/175℃/155℃ fan/Gas 4. Line the bottom of each cake pan with parchment paper*
2: Sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into a medium bowl and whisk together. Set aside.
3: Put the cocoa powder in a medium heatproof bowl. Bring 3 cups of water to the boil, then carefully measure out exactly 2 cups and pour over the cocoa powder {I found it easier just to boil the kettle and then measure out 2 cups from there} and whisk until completely smooth. Set aside to cool slightly.
4: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, {I used an electric whisk in any old bowl, however if you don't own any electric whisks/appliances you may want to use a margarine for cakes e.g Stork instead of butter just to make your mixing job a bit easier}, beat the butter and sugar on a medium speed until light and fluffy, about 8mins.
5: Add the eggs, two at a time, {I added each egg separately, just out of habit rather than there being a specific reason} beating until each addition is incorporated before adding the next. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula {Or the spoon} when necessary.
6: Add the flour mixture in 4 parts, alternating with the warm cocoa mixture in 3 parts, beating just until each addition is incorporated before adding the next. {I switched to a spoon at this point because my bowl got a bit full and the electric whisker was splattering cake batter all over the kitchen!}
7: Pour the batter into the prepared pan/pans. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean, or about 45mins for a 9x13" pan or 55mins for 2 8" pans, rotating the pan(s) halfway through.
8: Transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely in the pan(s). Cover tightly with clingfilm/plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight. {I left mine, out of the pan, on a chopping board, any board or plate will do though, in the fridge overnight} Loosen the edges with a straight spatula, {I used a sharp knife} invert the pans to remove the cake and peel off the parchment.

*Place your cake pan on a sheet of parchment paper, and with a pencil, trace its outline. Cut the parchment to size with scissors and use it to line the bottom of the pan, spreading small bits of shortening on the bottom of the pan to secure it. Alternatively use butter or margarine.

How To Cake It | Yo's Simple Syrup

https://howtocakeit.com/blogs/recipes/yos-simple-syrup?

Ingredients:
-1 cup sugar {I used white granulated sugar}
-1 cup water

Method:
1: In a small saucepan, combine the sugar and the water and bring to the boil, over a medium heat, stirring until the sugar is completely dissolved. {If you boil the water in the kettle first it is a bit faster}
2: Let cool completely, then fill up your simple syrup bottle or cover and store in the fridge for up to one month. {You don't need a simple syrup bottle, you can use a pastry brush, one that you would normally add an egg wash with, and just paint over the syrup}

How To Cake It | Yo's Italian Meringue Buttercream

https://howtocakeit.com/blogs/recipes/yo-s-italian-meringue-recipe?

I tried to make this and I don't have a candy thermometer or a kitchen aid and it didn't work well with just a hand held electric whisk so you really need the correct equipment for it to work. As it hadn't worked, I quickly nipped to Tesco and brought a couple of tubs of vanilla buttercream and just used that instead.

Ingredients:
-1 + 3/4 cups granulated sugar
-8 large egg whites, at room temperature 
-2 cups (4sticks) unsalted butter, cut into tbsp-size pieces, at room temperature {I used 2/3 of a 250g block of unsalted butter for 1 cup}
-1tsp pure vanilla extract

Method:
1: In a small saucepan, combine the sugar and 1/2cup {120ml} water. Place over a medium heat and bring to the boil. Clip a candy thermometer to the side of the pan. {I don't own a candy thermometer and it doesn't really work without one}
2: While the sugar syrup is heating, put the egg whites in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment.
3: When the syrup reaches 230℉/110℃ on the candy thermometer, begin to whip the egg whites on a high speed. Whip until the egg whites are stiff.
4: When the syrup reaches 240℉/465℃, immediately remove the pan from the heat and with the mixer running, pour the syrup into the egg whites in a very thin stream. Pour the syrup between the side of the bowl and the whisk attachment.
5: Whip the meringue at a high speed until thick and glossy and the bowl is no longer warm on the outside, about 8-12mins.
6: With the mixer running, add the butter a piece at the time, whipping until each piece is fully incorporated before adding the next. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula occasionally.
7: After all the butter has been added, continue to whip the buttercream until it is thick and smooth, 3-5mins. Beat in the vanilla.
8: Use immediately or transfer to an air tight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 1 week or the freezer for up to 2 months. Before using refrigerated or frozen buttercream, let it warm up to room temperature and stir to smooth it out.