Lunch Box Idea 21 : Jelly Bean Jubilee Union Jack Cake

Today it’s the lunch box idea 21: Jelly Bean Jubilee Union Jack Cake. Now we know we’re a bit ahead of ourselves here, but the Jubilee will be upon us before we know it. So to allow us all the time to put on that perfect spread for our Jubilee Street party or highly selective Garden party (if you’re after just the select few, and not the riff-raff!) then you’ll need to start preparing in advance.

I know I love the Union Jack, it gets me all patriotic as I fluff up in pride.  And how amazing that the Jelly Beans are available in these limited edition red, white and blue colours.

The perfect Jelly Belly Jubilee Union Jack Cake

Decorate a butter sponge cake with red, white and blue Jelly Belly beans to make a Union Jack to create a stunning patriotic centrepiece for your Jubilee tea party.

So to the ingredients, you will need:

For the Cake

340g / 12oz butter – very soft
340g / 12oz caster sugar
6 large eggs
340g / 12oz self raising flour – sifted
2 tsp baking powder
3 tbs milk

1. Grease a deep 20cm / 8” square tin, cut a square of baking parchment to fit the bottom of the tin.
2. Preheat the oven to GM4, 350F, 180C.
3. Place the softened butter and sugar in a large bowl and beat with an electric mixer until pale and fluffy.
4. Add the eggs in one by one, gently beating.  If the mixture      curdles add a spoon of flour, then the remainder of the eggs.
5. Fold in the flour, milk and baking powder.
6. When combined pour into the prepared tin.
7. Bake for about 40 – 50 mins until risen and golden. (Check after 40 minutes and cover with foil if it is browning too much.)  Check it is      done by poking a cocktail stick into the cake, when cooked the stick will come out clean, and the top of the cake will spring back when lightly pressed.
8. Remove from the oven.  Allow to cool in the tin for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack.

*  To make a marbled cake omit the milk at stage 5, spilt the mixture into 3, add 1 tbs red food colouring to one batch, blue to the second and a tbs milk to the third.   Dollop a tablespoon of each batter into the baking pan in turn.

For the Buttercream

250g / 9oz butter – softened
500g / 18oz icing sugar
3 tbs milk

Beat the butter well, slowly add the icing sugar and beat well until creamy and smooth.  Add enough milk to loosen the mixture so it is spreadable.

To Decorate

Once the cake is cool use a bread knife to cut the top off to make it level.   If you want to, slice the cake in half and sandwich together with jam (pipe a line of buttercream between around the edge of the bottom slice then fill the centre with the jam to prevent the jam oozing out).  Use a blob of buttercream to stick the cake to a board or serving plate.  Use a pallet knife to coat the cake with a thin layer of buttercream.  Put the cake in the fridge for at least 30 minutes to chill.  Apply a second thicker layer of buttercream.

To make the Union Jack make a red stripe with the red cherry Jelly Bellys, 3 beans wide down the centre of  the cake.  Add the arms to the cross.   Outline the cross with a single row of white coconut Jelly Bellys. Add red diagonals, 2 beans wide, and outline them with another single row of white beans.  Fill in the 8 remaining triangles with blueberry Jelly Bellys.

The 8” cake uses approximately, 150 cherry Jelly Bellys, 100 coconut Jelly Bellys and 100 blueberry Jelly Belly beans.

Just a thought:

If you’re bold, make the big square cake, it’ll make a great centre piece for any display.  This large cake can be chopped up into portions and popped in a lunch box, or alternatively you could make it up as cupcakes. Just make sure you adjust the baking time as necessary and voila!

So that is lunch box idea 21. Will you be having a Jubilee celebration? If so, what will be on your menu?

The Lunch Box Lady x