Dd1 would like a surprise cake for her birthday...

[lucysmam]

Any ideas apart from one with sweets in the middle that'll fall out as it's cut?

[Stompythedinosaur]

Maybe a rainbow cake (one made of different coloured layers)?

[ScrumptiousBears]

Unicorn one?

[AngelOfDeathNix]

She definitely doesn't mean a lol surprise cake does she?

[ErrolTheDragon]

You could make a 'treasure chest' shaped cake with chocolate coins in (assuming they're available still after Xmas), and maybe some 'jewellery'?

[FelixTitling]

How old is she and what is she into?

[lucysmam]

I forgot I'd posted this

AngelofDeath definitely not LOL Surprise.

She'll be 12 & is into Taylor Swift and Harry Potter. I've been scrolling ebay and Pinterest looking for something but nothing's jumping out as very surprising!

[TchoupiEtDoudou]

Ordinary sponge cake. When cold, cut some of the bottom middle bit out and put a small box in it with a present inside? (Maybe wrap in foil for hygiene) E.g. Earrings or a ring?

As a joke you could just write surprise on the top and say that's what you thought she meant...

[Bloomcounty]

How about a cake that looks like something else? Jane Asher did an amazing cake book in the late 80s that had one cake that looked like a plate of spaghetti bolognaise.

I guess with a bit of thinking and some icing skills, you could make a cake look like a pizza (deep pan, of course) or even a burger.

Depends on how good a baker you are, and how patient you are with icing and decorating!

[Bloomcounty]

Here's an idea - burger and fries. Most kids are 50% burger and 50% fries at 12 (in their dreams, at least).

howtocakeit.com/products/burger-and-fries-cake-recipe

[mogtheexcellent]

I found this on yoiutube. Harry potter Hogwarts house reveal cake. Actually can be simplified if you are not experienced in decorating. Its technically just a cake with the house colours as sweets in the middle. Does she know her Hogwarts house?

[Miane]

Trying googling piñata chocolate shell cake or chocolate shell smash cake.

You make a cake, decorate it with lots of sweeties and cover it with a chocolate shell, which you then smash with a hammer.

[youreinacultcallyourdad]

There are many very cool Harry Potter cakes online, monster book of monsters might be doable if you have some level of cake making. Also I’ve seen a house reveal one where they chop up the sections and put back together so each slice is different I’ll see if I can find it

[twilightcafe]

Rainbow cake with Harry Potter/Hogwarts colours?

[Twotome]

Drip cake

[Witchend]

Tell her it's chocolate and make it coffee. That gives anyone a surprise.

She might not like you afterwards though.

[lucysmam]

@Witchend, she'd eat it anyway, she's the least fussy with food person I know!

I like the Hogwarts house reveal idea...I'll have to drop it into conversation somehow because I have no idea! She's no doubt told me at some point but it's not stuck in my brain.

Or *TchoupiEtDoudou I do have a ring I was going to wrap for her. It's a snake one similar to one Taylor Swift has, apparently. Dd kept shoving pictures under my nose so I bought one. She might appreciate the giggle at a cake that says "Surprise!"

[milienhaus]

Something like this? goo.gl/images/HBsSmY

[parrotonmyshoulder]

Do an anti-gravity cake. We did one last week and it was brilliant.

[CinnamonToaster]

Voldemort cake topper . No one expects to see Voldemort on their cake.

Or chocolate icing and a really garish bright colour inside.

this scuba cake is incredible but also gives a fairly easy but effective way to do the "hidden inside" effect. Much much easier than doing the cut-through designs.

[lumpsofitroundtheback]

How about a cake like the one that Hagrid gives Harry Potter on his birthday?

Chocolate sponge, clashing pink icing with bad green twirly writing which says "Happee Birthdae Harry" or put your dd's name in instead.

Loads of images around.

[kateandme]

rosebakes.com/bright-bold-stripes-polka-dots-1st-birthday-cake/
just seen this done and it was fab.not too hard once you got all the bit together
something like this design and then you could do the surprise middle of sweets.
www.goodtoknow.co.uk/food/how-to/birthday-present-cake-293026
a guitar shape for t.s

[SoftSheen]

Polka dot surprise cake (google it) :)

[yogima]

How about a harry potter themed pinata cake (sorting hat?). You could put Bertie botts Every Flavour Beans inside. Nothing more surprising (and potentially disgusting) than the fear of a dog food or barf flavoured jelly bean speaks from experience

[BrieAndChilli]

Blow up a balloon and dip in choc, let it dry and then do it again and cover in sprinkles.
Then pop the balloon and put the chocolate on a cake with sweets under it so you can smash it like a piñata .

[BrieAndChilli]

Like this