3-Tier Mini Sandcastle Cake

1. Preheat the oven to 170˚C/Gas 3. Grease the 3-Tier Mini Cake Pan Set with Cake Release.
2. Cream together the margarine and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time and add the vanilla extract. Sieve in the flour and stop mixing when the flour is just incorporated.
3. Fill the tins three-quarters of the way up to the top – you may not need all of the mixture.
4. Put all of the tins on a baking tray and place in the oven. Because the tins are different sizes, there will be a difference between baking times: the smallest cake will be ready after 15 minutes, the medium after 20 minutes and the largest after 25-30 minutes. To check that they are done, insert a cocktail stick or cake skewer into the centre of each cake – if it comes out clean with no trace of cake mixture on it then your cakes are ready to be removed from the oven.
5. Trim away any domed tops from the cakes whilst they are still in the tins, then turn them out onto a cooling rack to cool completely.
6. Once cool, cover each cake with frosting, using a small palette knife to apply a thin layer all over. To create the sand effect, sprinkle the brown sugar over a flat tray and roll each cake in the sugar to coat. Stack the cakes on top of each other on a cake board or plate. Sprinkle extra brown sugar around the base of the cake.
7. To make the shells, use a small brush to liberally coat the inside of the seashell mould with cornflour then tap out the excess. Colour small pieces of modelling paste by adding tiny amounts of your chosen food colourings and kneading until combined. Press the modelling paste firmly into the mould. Turn each shell out straight away and leave to dry before using to decorate the cake.

Tip: To get a marbled effect on the shells, knead in the colouring until only partly combined.