Pink Macaron Chocolate Ganache Drip Cake

This winner of a cake combines my favourite things - the colour pink, pretty macarons, and chocolate (obviously) resulting in the most aesthetically pleasing cake you ever did see.. pintrest of what? 

Surprisingly this bake took half the time of my meticulously covered fondant cakes and looks just as impressive, who wouldn't want to eat a cake that has creamy oozing chocolate covering it? 

With the arrival of the much awaited Bake Off (cries of joy) I thought that this delightful cake would satisfy any cravings I had in the duration of the show... because the main rule of any household is that it is compulsory to have a supply of baked goods whilst watching GBBO. 

Now, I'm not going to list the recipe for the smashing macarons - simply because I have some fabulous tips and tricks to combat any macaron problems you have have. So keep your eyes peeled for a mammoth macaron post coming very soon. 

On to the recipe: 

3 (8inch) victoria sponge tins 

Palette knife

Squeezey bottle (preferable than a spoon) 

Cake -

340g butter

340g caster sugar

6 large eggs

340g self raising flour

3 tsp baking powder

red food colouring

Butter icing - 

500g icing sugar

200g butter 

dash of milk

red food colouring 

Chocolate Ganache - 
150g dark chocolate
75g double cream

1. Preheat the oven to 180C / Gas Mark 4

2. Line 2 victoria sponge tins with butter and parchment paper

3. Cream together the caster sugar, brown sugar and margarine
4. Whisk the 4 eggs lightly with vanilla extract
5. Gradually add the eggs to the margarine sugar mixture - don't worry if it looks curdled it will be corrected when you add the flour
6. Add the flour to the mixture until combined and smooth
7. Fold in the baking powder
8. Remove 1/3 of the batter and place enough red food colouring into it until the mixture turns a dark claret colour. Divide the cake mixture and place in tins smoothed on top
9. Bake for around 25 - 30 minutes.
10. Allow to cool down and then make the icing
11. Whisk together the icing sugar, butter and milk until it makes a smooth paste. Divide into 2 and place red food colouring into one side of the mix.
12. Smooth the white coloured over the cake in between the layers and all over the side using a spatula so the cake is 'crumb coated'.

13. Place into the fridge to set for 20 minutes.

14. Remove and sporadically place pink icing around the cake and smooth over to create a faded icing effect. 

15. Place into the fridge to cool and set again. 

16. Get started making the simple chocolate ganache. 
17. Put both the chocolate and cream into the microwave in 20 second busts until it has melted - mix together
18. Pour half the ganache into a squeezey bottle.
19. Using the other half of the ganache, place it on top of the chilled cake covering the whole top, but not going too far on the edge. 
20. Using the bottle, create drips down the sides using different amounts of pressure to create different sized drips. 
21. Allow to cool
22. Place anything you'd like to decorate on top, I used the left over pink buttercream, macaroons, chocolate dipped in pink glitter and a rose. 

There you have it, a recipe for a beautifully pink chocolate ganache drip cake, Enjoy Xx