Toy Story Chocolate Madeira Cake

Ingredients

Chocolate sponge (4 x 6 inch tins)

• 110g cocoa powder
• 260ml boiling water
• 5 medium eggs
• 190ml vegetable or sunflower oil
• 1.5 tsp vanilla extract
• 300g self-raising flour
• 450g light brown soft sugar
• 1.5 tsp baking powder
• 0.5 tsp fine salt
• 340ml buttermilk

Chocolate buttercream (filling)

• 200g unsalted butter, softened
• 380g icing sugar
• 40g cocoa powder
• 3-4 tbsp whole milk
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Sky blue vanilla buttercream (covering)

• 300g unsalted butter, softened
• 600g icing sugar
• 3-4 tbsp whole milk or double cream
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• Sky blue gel food colouring

Fondant decorations

• 150g white fondant (clouds)
• 200g yellow fondant (name, “IS”, number)
• 100g red fondant (barn/house shape)
• Icing sugar for dusting

Finishing

• Toy Story character figurines
• 8 inch cake drum

Method

Sponge

1. Mix the cocoa powder and boiling water together in a small bowl until smooth. Set aside to cool for 10 minutes.
2. Preheat the oven to 170°C (150°C fan). Grease and line 4 x 6 inch round cake tins with baking parchment.
3. In a large bowl, whisk together the oil, eggs and vanilla extract.
4. Stir in the cooled cocoa mixture.
5. Add the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt and mix until well combined.
6. Stir in the buttermilk until you have a smooth, pourable batter.
7. Divide the batter evenly between the 4 tins — each tin should have roughly 400-420g of batter.
8. Bake for 30-35 minutes until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.
9. Cool in the tins for 15 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack and cool completely before assembling.

Chocolate buttercream

10. Beat the softened butter on its own for 3-4 minutes until pale and fluffy.
11. Sift in the icing sugar and cocoa powder and mix on low until combined, then beat on high for 2 minutes.
12. Add milk a tablespoon at a time until the buttercream is smooth and spreadable. Beat in the vanilla.

Sky blue buttercream

13. Beat the softened butter for 3-4 minutes until very pale and fluffy.
14. Sift in the icing sugar and mix on low until combined, then beat on high for 2 minutes.
15. Add milk a tablespoon at a time until smooth, then beat in the vanilla.
16. Add sky blue gel colouring a little at a time and mix thoroughly between additions. Gel colouring gives a much more vibrant result than liquid — go gradually as it’s easy to overshoot.

Fondant decorations

Make these ahead and leave to dry for a few hours or overnight so they hold their shape.

17. Clouds:Pinch off small pieces of white fondant and shape into uneven cloud shapes by pressing and moulding with your fingers. Make 6-8 in varying sizes.
18. Name and number:Roll yellow fondant to about 4mm thick on a surface dusted with icing sugar. Cut out individual letters and a number using cutters or a sharp knife. Leave flat to firm up.
19. Barn shape:Roll red fondant to 4mm thick and cut a rectangle with a triangular roof shape (like an upside-down house). Cut “IS” from yellow fondant to sit on top of it.

Cake drum

20. Roll yellow fondant thinly and cover the top of the cake drum. Trim neatly. Roll a thin strip of red fondant and press around the edge of the drum to create a border.

Assembly

21. Level the tops of all four sponges with a serrated knife if needed.
22. Place the first sponge on the prepared cake drum. Spread a generous layer of chocolate buttercream on top.
23. Add the second sponge and repeat. Continue with the third layer of chocolate buttercream, then place the final sponge on top.
24. Apply a thin crumb coat of sky blue buttercream all over the cake to seal in the crumbs. Refrigerate for 20-30 minutes until firm.
25. Apply a thick, even second coat of sky blue buttercream. Use a palette knife on top and a cake scraper on the sides, rotating the cake on a turntable for clean straight sides.
26. Refrigerate for 30 minutes until the buttercream is firm to the touch.

Decorating

27. Press the white fondant clouds onto the sides of the cake, spacing them evenly — they will stick to the buttercream.
28. Attach the yellow letter and number fondant pieces to the cake sides, pressing gently. Use a tiny dab of water on the back if needed.
29. Position the red barn shape centrally on the side with “IS” on it.
30. Place Toy Story figurines on top of the cake and arrange any smaller characters around the base of the cake on the drum.

Buttermilk can be made by mixing 340ml whole milk with 1 tbsp white wine vinegar or lemon juice. Leave for 5 minutes until it curdles.