Illusion Cake
Illusion Cake is a medium British recipe that serves 4. 450 calories per serving. Recipe by Bradley Bakes on YouTube.
Prep: 1 hr 8 min | Cook: 25 min | Total: 1 hr 53 min
Cost: $59.48 total, $14.87 per serving
Ingredients
- 2 tsp Gelatin Powder (for orange jelly yolk)
- 200 ml Fresh Orange Juice (for orange jelly yolk)
- 2 tsp Gelatin Powder (for egg‑white panna cotta)
- 250 ml Whole Milk (for panna cotta)
- 250 ml Double Cream (for panna cotta)
- 80 g Granulated Sugar (for panna cotta)
- 1 tsp Vanilla Extract (for panna cotta)
- 120 g Unsalted Butter (for cake batter (toast & sausage base))
- 150 g Granulated Sugar (for cake batter)
- 200 g All‑Purpose Flour (for cake batter)
- 2 large Eggs (for cake batter)
- 1 tsp Mixed Spice (for cake batter)
- 1 tsp Vanilla Extract (for cake batter)
- 30 g Cocoa Powder (for chocolate‑flavored sausage batter)
- 100 g Milk Chocolate (50% cocoa) (for coating sausages)
- 100 g White Chocolate (50% cocoa) (for coating sausages)
- 2 medium (≈300 g) Fresh Peaches (for jam)
- 150 g Fresh Raspberries (for jam)
- 100 g Granulated Sugar (for jam)
- 200 g Marzipan (to form baked‑bean shapes)
- 50 g Red Fondant (for bacon strips)
- 50 g White Fondant (for bacon strips)
- 20 g Cocoa Powder (for glaze on sausages and bacon)
- 30 ml Water (for cocoa glaze)
- 20 g Powdered Sugar (for sprinkling on toast before torching)
Instructions
Bloom Gelatin for Orange Yolk
Place 2 tsp gelatin powder in a small bowl and add enough cold water to cover; let sit for 5 minutes until softened.
Time: PT5M
Warm Orange Juice
Heat 200 ml fresh orange juice in a saucepan over low heat until just warm (no boil).
Time: PT2M
Temperature: 80°C
Dissolve Gelatin in Juice
Squeeze excess water from the bloomed gelatin and stir it into the warm orange juice until fully dissolved.
Time: PT2M
Set Orange Yolk Spheres
Pour the orange‑gelatin mixture into silicone sphere molds and refrigerate for about 2 hours until firm.
Time: PT2H
Bloom Gelatin for Egg‑White Panna Cotta
Repeat the blooming process with another 2 tsp gelatin in a small bowl; set aside for 5 minutes.
Time: PT5M
Heat Cream Base
In a saucepan combine 250 ml whole milk, 250 ml double cream, 80 g sugar and 1 tsp vanilla extract; heat gently to about 80°C, stirring until sugar dissolves (do not boil).
Time: PT5M
Temperature: 80°C
Incorporate Gelatin into Cream
Add the bloomed gelatin (squeezed of excess water) to the warm cream mixture; stir until completely dissolved.
Time: PT2M
Set Egg‑White Panna Cotta
Pour the mixture into silicone round molds and refrigerate for 2 hours until set.
Time: PT2H
Prepare Cake Batter
In a mixing bowl cream together 120 g softened butter and 150 g sugar, then add 200 g flour, 2 eggs, 1 tsp mixed spice and 1 tsp vanilla extract; mix on high with a hand mixer until smooth.
Time: PT10M
Divide Batter and Add Cocoa
Scoop out roughly half of the batter into a separate bowl and stir in 30 g cocoa powder until fully incorporated; the remaining batter stays vanilla‑flavored for the toast.
Time: PT2M
Fill Toast Tray
Spread the vanilla batter into a rectangular baking tray, smoothing the surface with an offset spatula to create straight edges.
Time: PT2M
Fill Cupcake Liners
Spoon the cocoa‑flavored batter into cupcake liners placed on a baking sheet.
Time: PT2M
Bake Toast and Sausage Cakes
Place both trays in a pre‑heated oven at 180°C and bake for 15 minutes, or until lightly golden and a toothpick comes out clean.
Time: PT15M
Temperature: 180°C
Cool Baked Pieces
Remove from oven and let the cake pieces cool on a wire rack for about 10 minutes.
Time: PT10M
Make Peach‑Raspberry Jam
Combine diced peaches, raspberries and 100 g sugar in a saucepan; bring to a rolling boil and simmer for 10 minutes until the fruit is soft and the mixture thickens.
Time: PT10M
Temperature: high heat
Blend and Sieve Jam
Transfer the hot jam to a food processor, blend until smooth, then push through a fine mesh sieve to remove seeds.
Time: PT5M
Shape Marzipan Beans
Roll small pea‑sized pieces of marzipan between your palms, then press gently to form bean‑like shapes; repeat until you have several tablespoons worth.
Time: PT5M
Fold Beans into Jam
Gently fold the marzipan beans into the cooled jam, taking care not to crush their shape.
Time: PT2M
Melt Chocolate Coating
Combine the milk chocolate and white chocolate in a heat‑proof bowl; melt over a simmering pot of water (bain‑marie) until smooth, about 5 minutes.
Time: PT5M
Temperature: medium heat
Form Sausage Shapes from Cake
Crumble the baked chocolate‑cocoa cupcakes, mix with a small amount of buttercream until the mixture holds together, then shape into two sausage‑length logs.
Time: PT10M
Coat Sausages with Chocolate
Dip or brush the sausage logs with the melted chocolate, place on parchment and refrigerate for 10 minutes to set.
Time: PT10M
Prepare and Caramelize Toast
Slice the vanilla sponge into bread‑sized rectangles, then into triangles; sprinkle each piece with a light dusting of powdered sugar and use a kitchen blowtorch to caramelize the surface until golden.
Time: PT5M
Create Fondant Bacon
Marble together red and white fondant, roll into a thin rectangle, slice into thin strips, then lay each strip on a skewer and gently press to create waviness; let dry on a cool surface.
Time: PT10M
Apply Cocoa Glaze to Sausages and Bacon
Mix 20 g cocoa powder with 30 ml water to make a thin glaze; brush over the chocolate‑coated sausages and fondant bacon, then dab with a kitchen towel for definition and a second light brush of straight cocoa for extra depth.
Time: PT5M
Assemble the Breakfast Plate
On a skillet or serving plate, layer the caramelized toast, place fondant bacon strips, spoon the jam‑marzipan beans, add the chocolate‑coated sausages, gently set the panna cotta egg‑white pieces, and finally place the orange‑jelly yolk on top (dip the silicone sphere briefly in hot water to release).
Time: PT5M
Nutrition Facts
- Calories
- 450
- Protein
- 10 g
- Carbohydrates
- 55 g
- Fat
- 20 g
- Fiber
- 3 g
Dietary info: Vegetarian, Contains Dairy, Contains Gluten, Contains Nuts
Allergens: Milk, Eggs, Gluten, Tree nuts (marzipan), Soy (cocoa)
Last updated: April 19, 2026






