Which confectionary cake?

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I'm a traditional tea room cake baker. Vic sponges, Coffee and walnut. Flapjacks, cupcakes - they don't phase me.

But, I foolishly agreed to bake a birthday cake for a couple of colleagues whose birthday falls on the same night as a dinner/dance - not for the whole guest list, just their table/friends - it was a bit of a laugh between the lads and I got sucked in

Anyway, I realise that a "tea room" style cake won't cut the mustard so have been desperately looking for decoration ideas that are within my scope. I'm not up to fodant icing and loads of fancy bits, so I think a confectionary cake will fit the bill but are they more difficult than they look?

Im baking a square chocolate sponge sandwich and coat it in choc buttercream and then either stick malteasers in rows round the sides and cover the top in crumbled Flakes, or kitkat fingers up the sides and malteasers on the top.

The cakes with rows of malteasers round the sides look really good, so I'd prefer to do that, but are they hard to do?

Help!

I did this for my DS 4th birthday which was insanely easy:

They're dead easy if you have a good thick layer of buttercream. It's a good idea to keep the cake somewhere cool so the malteasers don't slide off.

I made this for a friends birthday. Very easy. 3 layers of choc cake, covered in buttercream and then decorated with fingers, smarties and malteasers. It's also a piñata cake so the middle is filled with smarties and malteasers too, but would be just as nice without!

Those kinds of cakes are very easy yet look spectacular.

I personally find the kit Kat/finger sides easier because you aren't stressed about getting everything in a perfect line, but the maltesers one would also be easy enough if you start from the bottom and work your way up. Test how many levels of maltesers you'll need so you can trim the top to be even if required.

Kit Kat cakes look fab with smarties or other coloured sweeties piled into the middle.

Teacup I love that - the smarties will work well and I could probably stretch to a piñata cake, too!

Thanks for the vote of confidence, all - off to have some fun later!

Don't forget to post pictures!

Whoohoo - I did three! Two small round ones for DD as well as the big square one, with choc fingers and coconut snow fingers round the edge, smarties, mini choc Orange slices, malteasers, crumbled flake - I had great fun!

Thank you all - I'd never have had the confidence without your support!

They look great! Well done!

Mmmmm!

Well done.