Strawberry Santas

Method:

Adjust oven rack to middle position.

Preheat oven to 180 °C.

Butter and line the base of a 22 cm x 22 cm square cake pan.

Decant the dry flour mix, from the foil pack, into a bowl.

Add 1 T (15 ml) of the measured melted butter and toss it with the flour (this ensures a moist, light textured baked cake).

In another mixing bowl, beat eggs and remaining melted butter together for 30 seconds on high speed until well blended.

Carry on beating while adding the oil. Add warmed milk and beat briefly on high speed.

Add carrot and pineapple mixture and beat it in.

Add the flour mix and gently fold it in by hand with a spatula. Mix until combined. It is important not to overmix.

Scrape mixture into prepared pan.

Level the top and make a slight hollow in the middle.

Place in the oven and bake for 40 minutes. Cake is done when a thin-bladed knife inserted into the centre comes out clean and the cake pulls away slightly from the sides of the pan.

Cool cake in the pan for 10 minutes.

Turn out on a cooling rack.

Do not ice until cake is completely cold.

Mark off portions, with toothpicks stuck into the sides of the cake 7,5 cm x 5 cm (see pic).

Cream butter until soft.

Add cream cheese and beat lightly until smooth.

Add milk and beat in very briefly.

Add Icing Mix and fold into mixture or beat it in on slow speed until evenly blended.

Add a little more milk to soften if the icing is too firm.

Spread the top of the cake with ⅔ of the icing.

Decant remaining icing into the icing bag fitted with our orange nozzle.

Cut the iced cake into 7,5 cm x 5 cm rectangles.

Wrap ribbon around rectangles.

Slice off about 1 cm of the pointed end of each strawberry but leave the green leaves in place.

Position a cut-off berry on each cake portion.

Pipe with icing to form the face and the beard.

Place the pointed hat on top and add an icing tassel crowned with a silver ball.

Secure the eyes with a little icing. See pics 1 - 5.