Halloween Brain Cake

Method

• Preheat the oven to 130C Fan / 150C / Gas 2. Grease a 2 litre oven proof bowl.
• Cream together the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy.
• Gradually beat in the eggs and vanilla essence then fold in the flour. Spoon into the greased bowl.
• Bake in the oven for about 1 hour 15 mins – 1hour 30 mins, covering the top of the bowl with foil after 30 minutes.
• To test whether the cake is fully cooked, push a skewer into the centre of the cake and check that it  comes out clean – if not, cook for another 10 minutes before testing again.
• Leave the cake in the bowl for 15 minutes before carefully turning out onto a cooling rack and leave to cool completely.
• Meanwhile, make the butter cream by gradually whisking the icing sugar into the butter and water.
• Shape the cake into a slight oval shape by slicing a little off two opposing sides, then shape the top and edges. Using a sharp knife, make a narrow channel running from front to back of the cake.
• Place the jam into a culinary syringe, or piping bag fitted with a filling nozzle. Using a chopstick make random deep holes all around the cake, then use the syringe or nozzle to fill the holes with jam.
• Spoon a small amount of butter cream in the centre of a cake board and sit the cake on top. Use the rest of the butter cream to coat the entire cake.  
• Take a small piece of fondant icing and roll to make a rope, about 8mm in diameter. Place on the cake, coiling it to cover a small area. Repeat with the remaining icing until the cake is completely covered.
• Brush the redcurrant jelly all over the cake to glaze.