Colorful Fondant Fancies Recipe

Preheat the oven to 170°C/Gas Mark 3.
Grease a 20cm square shallow cake tin and line the base with baking parchment.
Cream the softened butter and caster sugar together until pale and fluffy.
Lightly beat the eggs with the vanilla extract, then gradually add them to the butter mixture, beating well after each addition.
Sift the plain flour and cornflour together and mix with the ground almonds, ensuring there are no lumps.
Gently fold the dry ingredients into the cake mixture using a spatula, being careful not to overmix.
Transfer the batter to the prepared tin and level the top with a spatula.
Bake for about 25 minutes, until the cake is golden brown and springs back when lightly pressed.
Allow the cake to cool in the tin.

In a small pan, combine the caster sugar and water.
Bring to a boil, then remove from the heat and stir in a few drops of orange oil.
Cut the cooled cake horizontally in half and brush the cut surfaces with the warm orange syrup.

In a mixing bowl, beat the softened butter and icing sugar with an electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy.
Mix in the vanilla extract.
Sandwich the cake halves together with most of the buttercream, then refrigerate for 30 minutes to firm up.

On a surface lightly dusted with icing sugar, roll out the marzipan into a square large enough to cover the cake.
Spread a thin layer of the remaining buttercream over the top of the cake and smooth it with a spatula.
Lay the marzipan on top, trimming off any excess.
Flip the cake over onto a chopping board dusted lightly with icing sugar so the marzipan is underneath.
Cut the cake into 4cm cubes and set them right-side up on a wire rack placed over a tray to catch excess fondant.

Put half the fondant in a pan with 2 tablespoons of water and heat gently to no more than blood heat (37°C).
Do this carefully in a microwave if preferred.
Mix in a little yellow food coloring.
Using a tablespoon, pour the fondant over 5 of the cakes, ensuring it covers the sides.
Work with one color at a time, and scrape the fondant that runs off the cakes back into the pan.
Add orange coloring to the remaining yellow fondant and use it to ice 5 more cakes.
Warm the second half of the fondant with 2 tablespoons of water, color it pink, and repeat the process with 5 more cakes.
Finally, color the remaining pink fondant blue and ice the remaining cakes.
For more vibrant colors, divide the fondant into 4 portions and color each batch separately.

Use a small knife dipped in hot water to gently cut the cakes from the rack.
Place each cake into a round cake case, pressing the sides gently to shape the case to the cake.
Decorate with polka dot and chocolate bean sprinkles.
The cakes will keep in a tin for 3–4 days.