Ingredients (serves 8)

• 125 g butter, softened
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup caster sugar
• 2 eggs lightly beaten
• 1 1/2 cups self-raising flour, sifted
• 1/2 cup milk
• food colouring, (use as many colours as you like)
• For the butter cream icing:
• 185g butter, softened
• 2 1/4 cups icing sugar mixture
• 2 tbsp milk
• Packet Gingerbread men, for decoration

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180°C/160°C fan-forced.
2. Using an electric mixer, beat butter, vanilla and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating after each addition. Stir in flour and milk until combined.
3. Spread into prepared pan. Drop different colour food dyes in different places in cake mix and give a gentle swirl.
4. Bake for 1 hour 10 minutes or until skewer inserted in centre comes out clean. Stand in pan for 5 minutes. Turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
5. For the icing/frosting: Using an electric mixer, beat butter in a bowl until pale. Gradually add icing sugar mixture and milk, beating constantly until combined.
6. Decorate with gingerbread men.