When it's the birthday of one of my children, I usually make their birthday cake. I may have bought the odd caterpillar cake in the past, because, let's face it, the thought of a slice of a £5 caterpillar cake drying up in the bottom of a party bag is better than a slice of that cake you spent the hottest September day on record sweating over, rotting away in there. The cakes have not always gone to plan, and some have been bloody hard work - there was the time that I sieved fondant icing to make fluff for Boobah. If you don't know who or what Boobah is, Google it, your mind will be blown. Think Teletubbies on Ecstasy.
Cakes over the years have definitely become easier to make. It's more about what their favourite chocolate is rather than their favourite tv character. The kids can also be swayed by chocolate. Jack:"mum I think I'll have a football cake again this year'. Mum:"wouldn't you prefer to have a big chocolate cake with loads of yummy chocolate on".Jack:"yeah, yeah. Chocolate". Easy.
I'm no fan of fondant icing so a cake that benefits from buttercream or ganache is good for me. I'm not particularly neat when it comes to baking cakes either, so haphazard-less-is-most-definitely-not-more cakes are also good for me.
The basis for this year's cake came from a pot of Pinteresty looking polka dot sprinkles that I came across in a supermarket in Ireland in the summer, and I was desperate to use them. Aside from the sprinkles there was no great plan. As long as there were mint Aero Bubbles this teen girl was going to be happy. We'll ignore the fact that mint Aero Bubbles are half green and definitely didn't go with my beautifully colour co-ordinated cake!
A 5 layer ombre sponge cake was made (same recipe as this pink ombre sprinkle cake), and covered in buttercream, before refrigerating.
Cakes over the years have definitely become easier to make. It's more about what their favourite chocolate is rather than their favourite tv character. The kids can also be swayed by chocolate. Jack:"mum I think I'll have a football cake again this year'. Mum:"wouldn't you prefer to have a big chocolate cake with loads of yummy chocolate on".Jack:"yeah, yeah. Chocolate". Easy.
I'm no fan of fondant icing so a cake that benefits from buttercream or ganache is good for me. I'm not particularly neat when it comes to baking cakes either, so haphazard-less-is-most-definitely-not-more cakes are also good for me.
The basis for this year's cake came from a pot of Pinteresty looking polka dot sprinkles that I came across in a supermarket in Ireland in the summer, and I was desperate to use them. Aside from the sprinkles there was no great plan. As long as there were mint Aero Bubbles this teen girl was going to be happy. We'll ignore the fact that mint Aero Bubbles are half green and definitely didn't go with my beautifully colour co-ordinated cake!
A 5 layer ombre sponge cake was made (same recipe as this pink ombre sprinkle cake), and covered in buttercream, before refrigerating.
I then made a ganache by weighing out equal parts double cream and milk chocolate. The cream was heated and the chocolate was stirred in until the ganache was smooth and silky. Next time I'll leave the ganache to cool for a little while as it was a lot drippier than planned, and some of the toppings slid a little - the photo lower down of the back shows how the drips should look!
Sweets, donuts, biscuits and chocolates were added to the cake in a random fashion, with lollies and other tall items at the back to give the cake more height, and then I threw some of the sprinkles at the cake - yep, there was no delicate sprinkling involved.
BY THIS POINT THE CURLY WURLY HAD GIVEN UP & FALLEN OVER
PINK OMBRE SPONGE SANDWICHED WITH VANILLA BUTTERCREAM
THE BACK
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