Lion Cupcake Cake

Cake:

Icing:

 

To Decorate:

Cake:
Preheat the oven to 180˚C. Line 2 cupcake trays with yellow cupcake wrappers.

Using an electric mixer, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Add the vanilla essence and beat well.

Stir the cake flour, baking powder together in a separate bowl. Alternating adding the dry ingredients and the buttermilk to the creamed mixture. Mix well.

Divide the batter between the 24 cupcake wrappers. Bake for 20 – 25 minutes or until a skewer inserted comes out clean.

Cool for 5 minutes in the tin, then remove the cupcakes and place on a cooling rack to cool completely. 

Icing:
Beat the butter until light and creamy, then gradually add the icing sugar, beating well after each addition. Add the vanilla essence and beat until smooth. Add 1 tbsp of cream/milk and mix well, adding another tablespoon if necessary to get a thick but spreadable consistency.

Add the yellow food colouring and beat well. Remove about two thirds of the icing and place in a seperate bowl. Add the cocoa powder and mix well. Place the yellow icing into a piping bag (without a nozzle). Place the brown icing into a larger piping bag fitted with a star nozzle.

Once the cupcakes have cooled, arrange the cupcakes on the cake board, glueing each down with a little icing. Start with one cupcake in the centre, then arrange 6 cupcake evenly around that. Now arrange 12 cupcakes around that. You should have 5 cupcakes left over.

Using the yellow icing, pipe the face and ears of lion over the 7 central cupcakes. Use a palette knife to spread the icing evenly. Next use the brown icing to pipe the mane, starting at the face and moving outwards. Continue until all the cupcakes are covered. Use a little of the brown icing to make a triangle-shaped nose and a dot in each of the ears.

Slice the liquorice into thin strips. Place 3 or 4 strips on either side of the nose to create whiskers, and then use 2 strips to make a mouth.

Enjoy!