Making a Birthday Cake

[cslgirl]

I want to make my daughters 1st birthday cake. I have opted for a 12" square size as I will need to get about 40 slices out of the cake and was thinking of a madeira sponge cake. I wanted to decorate it with some "in the night garden" figures that I have.

I am so confused by all the different icings and whether I should have buttercream in between the two sponges and jam and can I also have buttercream to cover the whole cake or will that be sickly?

This will be my first time at making such a cake - I have only made banana cakes previously so any advice or ideas most welcome!

[Anna_S]

I'm no expert when it comes to cake decorating, but I know a lady who might be able to give you a few pointers

Mrs Fish!!

[Mrs Fish]

I would make a madeira cake as it is firmer to hold the icing and figures. I usually put buttercream in the middle, then a thin layer all over the cake, finishing with fondant icing on the top

[cslgirl]

Thank you ladies!! I am hiring the tins and they come with a madeira cake recipe! Will go with your instructions Mrs Fish!

Wish me luck lol!!

[Anna_S]

Let us know how it goes..... pictures please

[Urban_Ninja]

dont foget the jam though.


OH and the marzipan under the icing.


AH and the marzipan decorations, and the marzipan figures, HELL, why not make a marzipan cake

[Mr POD]

I'm hungry now. I'll ask my 12 year old daughter to make fairy cakes when I get home.

[Mrs Fish]

Here's an iggle piggle cake I made last year

[cslgirl]

That is a very good looking cake!!! I can only hope my looks something like that lol !! Or else I will be going to M&S last minute!

[TpdNotts]

Mrs Fish said:

Here's an iggle piggle cake I made last year

Really lovely cake.
Did you use ready roll icing for this cake? Can you buy the In the Night Garden figures or are they easy to make?

Teresa

[Mrs Fish]

Yes, I used ready to roll icing, but I coloured it myself first. The figure wasn't too difficult to make, it just takes practice and that was my second attempt

[Mrs Fish]

You could just buy the figures to put on the cake. That is what I have done in the past, in particular a Dora the Explorer cake

[taldo50]

i belive the icing for the top comes in a block or pre rolled in a sheet and its called regal-ice by Dr Oetker or whatever they call him! correct me if im wrong though!

[cslgirl]

Well, here is the cake. Not too adventureous but it was hard work working trying to ice a 12" cake - the icing kept sticking to the work surface but got there in the end. Tasted good though. I think next time I will do something smaller!

[littlegreenfairy]

Nice cake!

Were you using icing sugar to roll the sugarpaste out with? If so, next time use cornflour. You don't need a lot and don't flip the icing - so the cornflour stays on one side. The icing sugar will basically turn into gloopy icing if it gets the slightest bit damp - including touching sugarpaste.

For a really good finish an acrylic (super smooth) rolling pin is a must.

[Anna_S]

cake looks great, turned out really well