Caterpillar Cake

• eggs↗3
• sugar↗100g g

  plus 1 tbsp

• self-raising flour↗80g g
• coconut flakes↗50g g

  ground in blender to fine texture

• limes↗2

  zest

• unsalted butter↗350g g

  softened, plus extra for the pan

• powdered sugar↗700g g

  sifted

• limes↗2

  juiced (use the same limes whose zest was taken)

• green food colouring (gel)↗
• strawberry-flavoured strips↗
• white chocolate↗50g g
• varied licorice

  and strips

Step-by-step instructions

1. 1

   Grease a 25 × 32 cm Swiss roll pan with butter and line it with parchment. Beat the eggs and sugar in a stand mixer until thick, about 5 minutes. Gently fold in the flour, coconut and lime zest. Spread the mixture into the pan. Bake for 14‑16 minutes until golden. Turn onto a large parchment sheet sprinkled with 1 tbsp sugar. While still warm, roll the cake into a spiral along one of the short sides, keeping the parchment inside. Let it cool completely.

2. 2

   For the buttercream, beat the butter in a stand mixer until pale, then gradually add the powdered sugar in three batches, after which pour in the lime juice. Unroll the cooled sponge and spread 100 g of the cream, then roll it again. Place on a board. Divide the remaining cream between two bowls; one tinted dark‑green, the other light. Transfer into two piping bags fitted with a multi‑hole tip. Pipe green cream stripes onto the cake, alternating along its length.

3. 3

   Place the strawberry‑flavoured strips between the green cream stripes. Melt the chocolate in a heat‑proof bowl over a pot of simmering water. Pipe an 8 cm circle of melted chocolate onto parchment. Cool until set, about 10 minutes. Create a face from licorice and the strawberry strips, attaching it to the chocolate disc with additional chocolate. Attach the disc to one end of the cake with buttercream. Insert the licorice strips at the top and sides, forming antennas and legs. The cake can be stored in the refrigerator for up to three days.