Chocolate Rudolph Christmas Cake

I saw this Chocolate Rudolph Christmas Cake in the Morissons Christmas magazine last year but didn’t get chance to try it out; the recipe is by Stork. I modified the decoration slightly.

Photos to follow!! Have a bit of a back log due to the holiday season.

For the Cake:
    225g Butter
    225g caster sugar
    4 medium eggs
    40g cocoa powder
    225g self-raising flour

For the Chocolate Frosting:
    175g Butter
    325g icing sugar
    25g cocoa powder
    1 dessertspoon (10ml) milk

Decorations:
    Dark chocolate chips
    White ready to roll icing
    Red ready to roll icing
    Chocolate ready to roll icing

Method

• Place butter and sugar in a mixing bowl and beat together until light and fluffy.
• Beat in eggs, one at a time and then beat in the cocoa powder. Mix well.
• Pour mixture into in two deep 18cm (7 inch) cake tins.
• Bake in oven at 180°C (160°C fan, Gas mark 4) for 45-55 minutes.
• Transfer from the tins to a wire rack to cool completely.
• Roll out a little white ready to roll icing and cut out 2 circles for the eyes, set to one side.
• Roll out a little red ready to roll icing and roll into a ball for the nose, set to one side.
• Roll out the chocolate icing and cut out two antlers, either by hand or use a template.
• Reserve 8 chocolate chips for the face decoration.
• For the frosting: Beat together the butter, milk, icing sugar and cocoa powder until evenly combined.
• Sandwich the cakes together with a layer of chocolate frosting. Coat the sides and top with the remaining frosting using a palette knife.
• Place the red ball of icing in position for the reindeers nose, and press the eyes lightly onto the frosting. Add the reserved chocolate chips to the sides of the reindeers face (for freckles).
• Use a sharp knife to cut 2 slots into the top of the cake and gently set the antlers into position in the slots on the top of the cake.
• Enjoy!