Chocolate Marsh-mallow Cobweb Cake

Step 01

Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4.

Step 02

To make the cake, grease and line a 20x30cm/8x12in rectangular cake tin with baking paper.

Step 03

Beat together the butter and sugar with a hand-held mixer until pale and fluffy. Add the eggs a little at a time, beating well between each addition. Add the vanilla and the black gel food colouring, if using, with the last of the egg.

Step 04

Sift together the cocoa powder and flour into a bowl. Fold the flour into the butter mixture until fully combined. Spoon the batter into the prepared tin and smooth the surface with the back of a spoon.

Step 05

Bake for 30 minutes, or until springy to the touch and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Leave to cool for 10 minutes in the tin before turning out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

Step 06

To make the chocolate ganache icing, put the cream into a saucepan and bring just to the boil. Pour into a heatproof bowl. Add the chopped chocolate a little at a time and stir until completely melted, smooth and glossy. Leave to cool for a few minutes until it feels just warm to the touch.

Step 07

Place the cake (on the cooling rack) onto a large sheet of newspaper or baking paper. Pour half the ganache onto the centre of the cake and spread out evenly to coat the top and sides, adding more as needed, to make a nice even coat. Allow to cool and set.

Step 08

Meanwhile, lightly butter a non-stick saucepan, add the marshmallows and melt over a low heat, stirring frequently (or place in a lightly buttered heatproof bowl and microwave in 10 second bursts until melted, stirring often). The marshmallows don't need to melt completely before you remove them from the heat as they will continue melting on their own, but don't burn or overheat the marshmallow.

Step 09

Check the marshmallow isn't too hot before taking a pinch between your fingers and pulling it apart so it makes thin strands. Drape the strands all over the cake in an irregular zigzag to form the cobweb. When the marshmallow in your fingers cools too much to pull, rinse your fingers in warm water and start again with another pinch. Press pairs of edible sweets eyes into the gaps between the marshmallow cobweb.