Snake & Caterpillar Cake

Ingredients for the snake

• 125g (4½oz) soft butter or margarine
• 125g (4½oz) caster sugar
• 125g (4½oz) self-raising flour, sifted
• 2 medium size eggs

For the butter icing

• 1 x 325g tub Dr. Oetker EasyIce Vanilla Butter Icing

Or

• 100g (3½oz) butter, softened
• ½ tbsp hot water
• 150g (5½oz) icing sugar, sifted

To decorate

• Dr. Oetker Food Colour
• 3 – 4 rainbow drops (chocolate buttons topped with sprinkles) per cupcake
• 1 pot Dr. Oetker Jelly Diamonds
• 2 Dr. Oetker Milk Chocolate Beans
• 1 liquorice lace
• 1 pot of green sprinkles
• 18 – 20 Dr. Oetker Baking Cases
• Dr. Oetker Cake Board or Tray

Ingredients for the caterpillar

• 1 x 325g tub Dr. Oetker EasyIce Vanilla Butter Icing

Or

• 125g (4½oz) soft butter or margarine

• 125g (4½oz) caster sugar
• 125g (4½oz) self-raising flour, sifted
• 2 medium size eggs

For the butter icing

• 100g (3½oz) butter, softened
• ½ tbsp hot water
• 150g (5½oz) icing sugar, sifted

To decorate

• Dr. Oetker Green Food Colour
• Dr. Oetker Milk Chocolate Beans
• 75g (2¾oz) mini chocolate buttons
• 1 packet red liquorice laces
• 1 packet thick red liquorice strands
• black liquorice to make boots!
• 18 – 20 Dr. Oetker Baking Cases
• Dr. Oetker Cake Board or Tray

Method for the snake

1. Preheat oven to 180ºC/350ºF/Gas Mark 4 and arrange the Baking Cases in a cupcake tray.
2. Put the butter / margarine, caster sugar, flour and eggs into a bowl and mix with a wooden spoon. Alternatively use a food processor and process on high speed for about 2 minutes, or until smooth.
3. Spoon the mixture into the cupcake cases and cook for approx. 10 – 15 minutes. Allow to cool and then trim flat any tops that have domed during cooking.
4. Colour the EasyIce yellow with a few drops of Yellow Food Colouring and, using a small palette knife, spread the icing on top of each cake, reserving a little. Alternatively, to make your own butter icing, put the butter into a bowl with the hot water and mix together well. Beat in the sifted icing sugar a little at a time until the mixture is light and creamy. Colour with Yellow Food Colouring.
5. Put two or three rainbow drops down the centre of each cup cake. Using a little EasyIce or homemade butter icing, stick a Jelly Diamond on top of each.
6. Arrange the snake on a Cake Board or tray or even along the centre of the table, on a paper tablecloth. Now add the Chocolate Beans for eyes and the liquorice lace for the tongue. Sprinkle the snake all over with green sprinkles.

Method for the caterpillar

1. Preheat oven to 180ºC/350ºF/Gas Mark 4 and arrange the Baking Cases in a cupcake tray.
2. Put the butter / margarine, caster sugar, flour and eggs into a bowl and mix with a wooden spoon. Alternatively use a food processor and process on high speed for about 2 minutes, or until smooth.
3. Spoon the mixture into the cupcake cases and cook for approx. 10 – 15 minutes. Allow to cool and then trim flat any tops that have domed during cooking.
4. Colour the EasyIce green with a few drops of Green Food Colouring and, with a small palette knife, spread the icing over the entire surface of each cake. Alternatively, to make your own butter icing , put the butter into a bowl with the hot water and mix together well. Beat in the sifted icing sugar a little at a time, until the mixture is light and creamy. Colour with Green Food Colouring.
5. On all but one of the cakes, make a small V with mini chocolate buttons and place a Chocolate Bean in the middle. Arrange the cakes on a Cake Board or tray .
6. Cut the red liquorice laces into 1cm (½ inch) lengths and push them into the sides of the cupcakes. Cut the liquorice strands into 4cm (½ inch) lengths and bend them into the side of the cakes, place a black liquorice boot at the end of each.
7. Decorate the remaining cupcake with two Chocolate Beans for eyes, a liquorice strand cut in half makes a nose and a big smile. You can use a matchmaker broken in two for antennae (or use a red lace or strips of black liquorice).