for 24 pieces

Sponge mixture

150 g	sugar
6	egg yolks
2 tbsp	water, boiling
6	egg whites
2 pinch	salt
4 tbsp	sugar
80 g	white flour
100 g	shelled ground almonds
3 tbsp	cocoa powder

To feed the cake

1 ½ dl	water
2 tbsp	icing sugar
½ tsp	cinnamon
½ tsp	bourbon vanilla powder

Caramel cream

100 g	sugar
2 tbsp	water
1 dl	water
3 dl	full cream

Hedgehog decoration

200 g	dark chocolate, finely chopped
400 g	double cream cheese
1 dl	full cream
3	Smarties (brown)
a little	icing for writing
a little	marzipan (pink)

How it's done

Sponge mixture

Using the whisk on a hand mixer, beat the sugar, egg yolks and water for approx. 5 mins. until the mixture is light and fluffy. Beat the egg whites with the salt until stiff, add the sugar, continue beating until the egg whites turn glossy. Mix the flour and almonds, sieve in the cocoa powder, add to the mixture in layers along with the egg whites, carefully fold in using a rubber spatula. Transfer the sponge mixture to the prepared tin.

To bake

Approx. 30 mins. in the lower half of an oven preheated to 180°C. Remove and allow to cool slightly. Remove the tin frame, turn the cake out onto a cooling rack, remove the baking paper and leave to cool. Slide the cake onto a plate. Make a number of holes approx. two-thirds of the way into the cake using the handle of a wooden spoon.

To feed the cake

Mix the water, icing sugar, cinnamon and vanilla, pour over the cake.

Caramel cream

Boil the sugar and 2 tbsp water in a wide pan without stirring. Reduce the heat and simmer, swirling the pan occasionally until a light brown caramel has formed. Pour in the water, reduce to a syrupy consistency. Remove the pan from the heat, leave to cool. Beat the cream with the caramel syrup until stiff. Spread over the cake so that the holes are filled with the cream. Cover the cake and chill for approx. 30 mins.

Hedgehog decoration

Place the chocolate in a thin-sided bowl and suspend over a gently simmering bain-marie, ensuring that the bowl does not touch the water. Melt the chocolate and stir until smooth, allow to cool slightly. Mix the chocolate, cream cheese and cream. Spoon the mixture into a piping bag with a serrated nozzle (approx. 9 mm in diameter). Decorate the top and sides, leaving a circle for the face and a semi-circle for the legs. Chill the cake for approx. 30 mins. Decorate the face with the Smarties and writing icing. Shape the marzipan into ears and paws and use to decorate the cake.

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