H0w t0 make d0m0 kun Cake

Ingredients

Chocolate Cake (Double the ingredient for 2 cakes)
200g good-quality dark chocolate, chopped
200g butter, softened
1 cup dark brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 eggs, at room temperature
1 1/2 cups self-raising flour
2 tablespoons cocoa powder
1/2 cup milk

1. Preheat oven to 170°C. Grease 2 square 23cm baking tins.
2. Place chocolate in a heatproof, microwave-safe bowl. Microwave, uncovered, for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring every minute with a metal spoon, until almost melted. Stir until smooth then set aside to cool.
3. Using an electric mixer, cream butter, sugar and vanilla until light and fluffy.
4. Add eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition.
5. Add melted chocolate and beat until well combined.
6. Sift flour and cocoa together and then fold half the flour mixture into butter mixture.
7. Add half the milk. Stir gently to combine. Repeat with remaining flour mixture and milk.
8. Spoon into prepared baking tin. Smooth surface.
9. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.
10. Stand cake in pan for 15 minutes. Turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

To make chocolate ganache: Melt 1 cup (250gram) of good quality dark chocolate to 1 cup of thickened (heavy) cream in a bowl over simmering water on low heat. Let it cool before using it.

To make Domo-Kun cake

1. Use one cake as the body, cut two corners off to form a V-shape for the legs.
2. On another cake, cut into quarters – two will be used as legs, and another two will be used as arms.
Note: best to use the 4 smooth curvy edges of the cake for better results, save you from cutting neatly.
3. Cut one end on each pieces in an angle. Pay attention to the angles on the body that already been cut, so make sure the leg pieces will piece together in the same angle.
4. Once you are happy with the shape, put each piece on top of cooling rack over a bowl to catch the chocolate drip to be reuse.
5. Pour a few spoonful of chocolate ganache on top of the cake and spread out evenly until well coated.
6. Put the ganache coated pieces in the fridge and let it set. Once harden, you can put the jigsaw pieces together and form the Domo-Kun.
7. To make the mouth, dip a toothpick in red coloring and smear over a lump of marzipan then fold-kneading until the dough is in even pink colour. Add more coloring if you want a deeper pink, but bit warn the marzipan will get sticky. Once you are happy, roll it flat, cut into square to form the mouth.
8. Same thing for the teeth, dip a lump of marzipan into flour and start kneading. Repeat the process until it becomes paler, then roll out and cut into zig-zag (4 teeth up and down) and put over the pink mouth.
9. For eyes, would be best if you can get black fondant. If not, then just use any round objects in the house that is black in colour and stick it on top of the cake