Handbag cake

How to make a pretty handbag cake

• Stack two 20cm round sponge cakes on top of each other with butter icing or jam between them.
• Cut off about a quarter from the side of the cakes to form a flat shape for the bottom of the handbag and stand this upright on a cakeboard.
• Beat 500g of margarine, a drop of vanilla essence and 4 cups of icing sugar together one cup at a time to form a rich icing.
• Take three quarters of this, add pink food colouring and mix well for a bright pink icing.
• Spread this evenly all over the cake.
• Add yellow food colouring to the remaining icing.
• Pipe this icing in diagonal lines over the bag and decorate the rest of the bag with sweets and icing flowers as jewels.
• Use a piece of liquorice to form a handle.