The Ultimate Manchester United Sports Car

This cake is for other MU fans out there. I made this for our best man’s birthday, who is a huge MU supporter.
I was without my offset spatula, so using the big one was tough since the buttercream wasn’t of the crusting type.
In lieu of chocolate cake mix, you can use 2 1/2 cup flour and 2 tbsp cocoa.

The cake would probably look neater with fondant, but time wasn’t on my side for cake decorating. Plus, majority prefer the taste of buttercream. (Note: I flavoured my fondant with almond extract) Both the cake and almond buttercream recipes are creations birthed from CynfulKitchen.ca

Pan used: a Wilton car character pan, but if you have soccer ball or spherical pans, go nuts!
PRO tip: use equal portion of flour, shortening and cooking oil to make cake release. (I used 1/4 cup of each) Apply with pastry brush thoroughly. The cake slides right off!!
We sift the dry ingredients to knock the air out. This ensures a more moist cake.

RED WINE PB & NUTELLA CHOCOLATE CAKE
Preheat oven to 340F
INGREDIENTS
1/4 cup Peanut Butter
1/3 cup Nutella
(Optional: add a quarter cup sugar; if you wanted to add sweetness)
1 cup margarine (or butter; salted is ok — if using unsalted butter, add 1/8 tsp salt), softened
4 eggs
1 cup Red Wine (I used Jackson Triggs’ Shiraz; it was the leftovers of an opened bottle of the moment)
1/4 cup milk (optional; increase red wine instead)
1 tsp butter vanilla emulsion

Sift together:
1 tsp cinnamon
4 tsp baking powder
3 tbsp chocolate pudding mix (Optional)
1 box of Chocolate cake cake mix (I used Duncan Hines’ Swiss Chocolate mix; if you have only white cake mix, add 2 to 3 tbsp cocoa powder and 1/4 cup of chocolate pudding mix)

1. Cream, at medium high speed, margarine, vanilla, peanut butter and Nutella. Add 1 egg at a time.

2. Add a third of the red wine, milk and a third of the sifted dry mixture. Do this three times in total. Make sure you are gently stirring the cake batter to prevent over-activating the gluten.

3. Pour the batter onto a well-greased pan; grease with homemade cake release.

Cynnie’s Almond Buttercream

200 g unsalted butter
200 g shortening
400 g sifted icing sugar (Tip: I calibrate the scale, with the bowl and sifter, to zero)
1 tsp almond extract
2 1/2 tbsp vanilla pudding mix
2 1/2 tbsp whipping cream

1. Cream butter for about 3 to 5 minutes, but not until it turns to cream.

2. Add shortening. Whip until fluffy.

3. Add flavouring. Alternate adding instant pudding mix and whipping cream.

Resent the temptation of eating the buttercream! It smells so good!

So, the cake decorating part. You have many options. You can go crazy and use a star tip all the way. Spatula to smooth the icing as best you can is the best option. If time is on your side, crumb coat, wrap and chill before icing your cake.

I find that piping lines before flooding with a spatula helps me keep the icing level.