Flake Woodland

ingredients

For the cake

• 175g (6oz) margarine
  
• 175g (6oz) soft brown sugar
  
• 3 eggs, beaten
  
• 175g (6oz) self-raising flour
  
• 50g (2oz) ground almonds
  
• 60ml (3 Tbs) mincemeat
  
• 100g bar of Cadbury Bournville chocolate
  

For the icing and decoration

• 100g bar of Cadbury Bournville chocolate
  
• 75g (3oz) granulated sugar
  
• 2 egg yolks
  
• 175g (6oz) unsalted butter, softened at room temperature
  
• A Cadbury '99' Flake family box
  
• A packet of Cadbury Dairy Milk Buttons
  
• Red sugar balls
  

Also, you will require

• An 18cm (7-inch), round cake tin, greased and base-lined
  
• A baking tray
  
• A 23cm (9-inch), round cake board
  
• Greaseproof or baking parchment
  
• A greaseproof paper piping bag

Method

1. For the cake, cream the margarine and sugar together, and then gradually add the beaten eggs. Fold in the flour, with the ground almonds and mincemeat. Cut each square of chocolate into four and add to the mixture, beating well. Turn the mixture into the tin and place on the baking tray, with an ovenproof wedge under one side of the tin so that the cake is baked at an angle. The wedge should be no deeper than 2cm (1/2 inch); a scale weight is ideal. Bake at Gas Mark 4/180 C/ 350 F for 1 1/4 - 1 1/2 hours, until cooked through. Turn out and cool.
2. Make the icing by melting half the chocolate in a pan with 20ml (1 tablespoon) of water. Dissolve the sugar in 80ml (4 tablespoons) of water until quite clear, and then boil rapidly for about 2 minutes, until it forms a thin syrup. Whisk the egg yolks and melted chocolate together and gradually pour on the syrup, whisking continuously, until cooled and thickened. Gradually beat in the softened butter a little at a time. Leave until quite cold.
3. Place the cake on the cake board. Cover it completely with the icing, and then mark the top into concentric rings with a fork to look like the top of a log. Cut about ten of the Flakes into thin pieces. Carefully press these on to the side of the cake, mixing up the larger and smaller pieces, to resemble the bark of a tree.
4. Melt the remaining chocolate in a bowl over hot water. Use it to pipe ivyleaf shapes in several sizes. Leave in a cool place to set.
5. Cut two Flakes into short pieces and with the milk chocolate Buttons, make small mushrooms, sticking the Buttons on with a little melted chocolate. Dust lightly with icing sugar. Decorate the top of the cake with clumps of these mushrooms and sprays of ivy leaves, dotting a few red sugar 'berries' around.
   
   Tip: Try to have uncut edges of Flake round the top.