Santa Hats
From Emma Marsden's Christmas on a Plate, this bake takes a simple sponge and turns it into a fun Santa Claus inspired recipe. Brilliant to make for kids!
Introduction
A must for a Christmas tea! Hiding underneath the fluffy rim of Santa’s hat is a delicate lemon sponge. You could also use clementine zest instead of the lemon if you prefer. Freeze any leftover bits of sponge and save for a trifle.
Ingredients
| 60g | butter, at room temperature, plus extra for greasing |
| 60g | golden caster sugar |
| 1 | medium egg, beaten |
| 60g | self-raising flour |
| Zest of ½ a lemon | |
| 200ml | double cream |
| 1 tbsp | icing sugar |
| 10 | strawberries |
| Desiccated coconut, for sprinkling |
Essential kit
You will need a 16.5-17cm shallow round baking tin and a 4cm round cutter or the base of a piping nozzle.
Method
Preheat the oven to 180°C/160°C fan/gas 4. Butter a 16.5-17cm shallow round baking tin and line with greaseproof paper.
Beat the butter and sugar together in a bowl using an electric hand whisk, or a wooden spoon if you fancy firming up the bingo wings. Gradually beat in the egg. Sift over the flour, then fold in with the lemon zest. Spoon into the tin and spread evenly over the base in a thin layer. Bake for 20-25 minutes, until golden. Take the cake out of the oven and upturn on to a wire rack to cool.
Beat the double cream and icing sugar in a bowl until just thick.
Peel the greaseproof paper away from the base of the cake, then put on a board. Use a 4cm round cutter or the base of a piping nozzle to stamp out 10 rounds of cake.
Spread the cream all over the round bases, then top each one with a strawberry. Sprinkle the coconut around the base, pushing it up on to the sides with a knife. Put a blob of cream on top of the strawberry to mimic the fluffy bobble on Santa’s hat, and sprinkle with coconut.
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