Chocolate smash cake recipe

This chocolate smash cake is really fun and perfect for a birthday party - whether it's for kids or grown-ups, it'll be an instant hit. You can bring this cake out with a mini hammer so you've got the novelty of cracking it open and you'll find loads of sweets spill out - a bit like a piñata, but in the form of a cake. This cake is a bit of a long process to make, but it really is worth the extra time and effort you put in as you can't really buy smash cakes in the shops. Plus, unlike our classic chocolate cake (opens in new tab), you can fill it with your favourite sweets. Give it a go, and happy smashing!

Ingredients

For the cake:

• 100ml whole milk
• 225g golden caster sugar
• 225g unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 2tsp baking powder
• 225g plain flour, sifted
• 4 medium eggs
• 1tsp vanilla extract

For the dome:

• 280g white chocolate, finely chopped
• 2tsp coloured sprinkles

To decorate:

• 460g chilled Philadelphia cream cheese
• 150g Lotus Biscoff Spread (you can buy this in Sainsbury’s) or use 5g butter with 1tsp vanilla extract and a pinch of cinnamon or peanut butter
• 300g icing sugar, sifted
• 120g white chocolate buttons, giant and regular
• 2 handfuls of sweets, to half-fill the dome

You will need:

• 2x18cm sandwich tins
• A bowl with a rounded base

Method

1. Heat the oven to 150C fan, gas 3½. Grease and line the base and sides of the sandwich tins. Put all the cake ingredients and a pinch of salt in a bowl and mix with an electric whisk until smooth. Divide between the tins, smooth the top and bake in the middle of the oven for 30-40 mins.
2. For the dome, set the bowl on a baking tray, flat edge down. Smooth 2 sheets of clingfilm over the top. Next, melt the chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over gently simmering water, then mix until smooth.
3. Pour the chocolate evenly over the clingfilmed dome, then add some sprinkles. Leave it to set, then trim the edge with a dry, hot knife and chill until ready to serve – it must stay in the fridge until ready to smash to get the snap.
4. To decorate, beat half the cream cheese with the Biscoff spread, then add the rest of the cream cheese and the icing sugar, and mix until smooth. Spread about ¼ of the Biscoff mixture on top of one of the cakes, then top with the other sponge and spread over the remaining mixture. Decorate the sides with chocolate buttons, add the sweets on top, then set the dome on top – and get smashing!

You might like...

Pick 'n' mix sweetie cake (opens in new tab)

Chocolate drip cake (opens in new tab)

Raspberry and white chocolate cake (opens in new tab)