Smiley clock

1.Preheat moderate oven to 180°C (160°C fan forced). Grease and line deep 26cm-round cake pan. Make cake according to directions on packets, pour into pan, bake in moderate oven about 1 hour. Stand cake in pan 5 minutes; turn onto wire rack to cool. Using serrated knife, level cake top.

2.Place cake on prepared board, cut-side down.

3.Meanwhile, tint chocolate with purple colouring. Pour chocolate into number moulds. Tap moulds gently on bench to remove air bubbles. Using palette knife, level chocolate across each number. Refrigerate moulds about 10 minutes or until chocolate sets. To release number from mould, place sheet of baking paper slightly larger than mould on tray, holding mould upside down, tap one edge of the mould gently onto baking paper. Repeat process until numbers 1 to 12 have been made.

4.Spread remaining chocolate onto sheet of baking paper; allow to set. Cut two strips of chocolate, 2cm x 5.5cm. Trim edges of one end to a point to form clock hands.

5.To make the butter cream. Beat the butter (and any flavouring if using) in a small bowl with an electric beater until the butter is as white as possible. (This will result in a whiter buttercream which will give you better results if colouring it). Gradually beat in half of the sifted icing sugar, then the milk, then the remaining sifted icing sugar. Beat until the butter cream is smooth and spreadable. Keep scraping down the side of the bowl during beating

6.Tint butter cream with yellow colouring, reserve 1 tablespoon of the butter cream, spread remaining butter cream all over cake.

7.Arrange chocolate numbers on cake. Split marshmallow in half horizontally. Position marshmallow in centre of cake for nose. Spoon reserved butter cream into piping bag, pipe around marshmallow.

8.Position chocolate hands on cake. Place eyes in position then arrange licorice on cake for smile and eyelashes.

9.Secure ribbon around cake centre, position Smarties above and below ribbon.