I need ideas for a lazy birthday cake with a bit of wow factor

[RUOKHon]

We’re all isolating so I can’t get to the shops. I have ingredients for a basic sponge - could even stretch to chocolate if needed. I have a stash of cake decorations, etc, but no artistic vision.

What can I knock up quickly for DD’s birthday without having to become a pastry chef? She likes
cats, computer games and avocados.

Ds is particularly fond of having one with a hidden space in the middle you fill with sweets/chocolates. When you cut in they all fall out, which he likes. The decoration on the outside can be as plain as you like.

Make sponge in a round bowl with green food colour, cover round bit with dark green icing , place upside down and insert avocado stone,,plain sponge cut into shape or large nut covered in muddy coloured icing ?

That’s a great idea! Just the right level of effort I’m looking for.

Basic chocolate sponge sandwiched with chocolate buttercream. Melt some chocolate and spread it over some baking paper or something similar...foil. When almost set wrap around sandwiched cake. Pop in fridge, remove paper or foil when set. Pop loads os sweets, chocolates over top. You could decorate the outside with chocolate whiskers, cats eyes etc...et voila.

You can make all sorts of things out of rice krispies and either marshmallow or cracknell (www.schoolrecipes.co.uk/index.php/school-dinner-recipes/34-desserts-puddings/145-chocolate-cracknell.html) - there's tutorials online on how to make a cat face. It's quite easy to sculpt
You could then cover in chocolate.

Or make a tiffin and cover in left over christmas chocolate.

www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/collection/kids-party-cakes-recipes
Great ideas on here

Similar to PP. Plain cake. Cover in icig and loads of sweets.

Ive also got an incredibly old but dead easy pattern to make a cat cake if you like?

Yes please to cat cake recipe!

I inherited the pages from my mum so they are very old!

Instructions coming up

The sugar mouse

I just make a plain sponge. For the icing i alternate vanilla and chocolate buttercream to make stripes. For the ears I just cut triangles out of the spare sponge. Whiskers are cocktail sticks. Eyes are choc buttons

I dont make the mouse though

Best easy birthday cake I saw being made was a simple but delicious chocolate cake with deep buttercream icing and the kid's favourite small world toys (in this case jungle animals) placed on top. I was in awe of the speed at which my friend produced this and the child was delighted.

You could just do a round sponge cat face using sweets for eyes and whiskers.

I usually get a few small plastic characters DC like and stick them on, only costs a couple of quid and they get new toys that way.

Super helpful, all. Thanks.

Something like this is my lazy, but looks good, cake. I usually use choc fingers though.

I made this in the first lockdown. Normal sponge sandwich cake coveredbin chocolate butter cream Cadbury fingers round the outside and pink icing for the pigs. I can not bake and am not artistic so if I can do it it must be fairly simple.

I saw a YouTube vid today where someone poured melted chocolate onto clean bubble wrap, wrapped it around the outside of a cake and then, when the chocolate had set, removed the bubble wrap leaving a fancy pattern.

You could do a cake with sweets in the middle. Think its called a piñata cake, so when you cut it they fall out.

There is also a recipe to make a pizza cake which is super cool and very easy.

A rainbow cake - make a large cake mix and split into layers (ideally at least four). Colour each on differently and assemble as normal. You could then just cover it in buttercream and sprinkles - it looks awesome when you slice it.

I was going to suggest @mogtheexcellent s idea. Again with chocolate fingers and I put a ribbon around to hold them in place. I also normally section off the top bit using fingers into quarters or 5ths so different sweets can go into each section. Add a cake topper with her age and you're good to go.