This is the $4.40 Coles cake hack that is breaking the internet
A $4.40 Coles mud cake has become one of the most hacked products of the year, sparking a dedicated Facebook page and hundreds of fans around Australia.
The chocolate cake is used a base for all manner of creative decorating, ranging from unicorns and mermaids to penguins and superheroes.
Newcastle mother Jodi Bell created the Facebook page back in March 2018, when she wanted ideas for her daughter’s birthday cake.
“The page is a place people can come and find ideas and tips on how to make a hack in their own home,” she told Better Homes and Gardens.
Unicorn cakes are the most popular, but “people have made wedding cakes, birthday cakes and engagement cakes,” she said.
The cakes are inexpensive to make. According to Jodi, a unicorn cake would cost $25 to make, while a professional cake would cost upwards of $100.
“I won’t pay a couple of hundred of dollars for cake when I can give it a go myself,” says Jodi.
Tamworth mum Shaye Potter created a detailed mermaid cake using two Coles mud cakes in chocolate and white chocolate.
“I just played around with the fondant, buttercream and the colours to get what I wanted, and I watched a lot of YouTube videos to help me along the way,” she explained.
Adelaide mum Bel Jones used a slab cake and mud cake from Coles to create “the illusion of a dance floor and stage".
“I placed the mud cake in the centre of the slab and covered it with fudge frosting and lollies galore,” she explained.
Top 7 cake hack tips
- Pop the cake in the freezer before decorating as it makes it easier to ice.
- Do a crumb coat first. Then pop it back in freezer before icing.
- If you’re using the Betty Crocker icing, whip it first.
- Use a sauce bottle to create drips down the side of the cake.
- Use a 30cm plastic ruler instead of an expensive cake decorating tool.
- Make sure the buttercream isn’t too runny because the cakes can slide.
- Leave yourself at least a few hours to assemble the cake - if not the day before. It always takes longer than you think.
This article originally appeared on Better Homes and Gardens.
