Acceptable ‘birthday’ cake?

[Flutterbycustard]

I offered to bake my husband a birthday cake. He asked for no icing and something a bit different. So I went for a pineapple upside down cake.

I’m 50% happy with it and 50% thinking it doesn’t look like a ‘celebration’ cake. I’ll probably pop to the store and grab a decorated one to go with it. We’re off to lunch with family today to celebrate.

Do you think it’s ok? Or wild you keep it for a at home dessert and just get a bigger cake at the store? DH hasn’t seen it yet; he’ll tell me it’s great…anything to avoid having to stop at the shop.

It’s not a huge deal, but some unbiased advice would be appreciated. I completely understand if you don’t feel it says ‘birthday’.

Gorgeous! I'd serve it with a Pina Colada for him and a flower necklace if you have one!

It’s beautiful OP.

Our 10yo doesn’t like iced cakes. He asks for lemon drizzle most years.

It looks delicious. It’s what he requested, it is trickier to make cakes look pretty without fancy piping etc but I think it looks great.

That looks awesome!

Unless your husband is turning 8 OP then I don't think he needs a decorated 'Birthday' cake with icing and sparkles. We went to a 40th birthday lunch recently with a lovingly homemade carrot cake for dessert and it was wonderful. 100x better than a shop bought Victoria sponge with some dry icing and 'happy birthday' piped on. I'd have found it quite odd if they'd turned up with two cakes.

I have an icing hater as well. He asks for carrot cake without frosting, I sometimes do some in a bowl on the side for the kids so they can choose. But DP has massive appreciation for the basic cake as its homemade…

No icing is a sensible, healthy request and your cake looks very presentable and delicious!

As long as you sing happy birthday before you cut into it, it's a birthday cake.
Happy birthday to your DH!

It is a good job I have no idea where you live as I might be tempted to try and squeeze through the cat flap (if you have one!) while you are out!
Not only does it look gorgeous so much care has gone into it!

Can you post the recipe, op?

It's fantastic,and I say that as someone who really doesn't like cake,puddings or just about anything that is sweet!

Ooh yes-frosting ruins carrot cake imo!

Pineapple upside down cake is often the birthday cake of choice amongst my family, but mine has always looked much plainer/less fancy than yours! I’ve never thought of doing it as a sandwiched cake - out if interest, did you flavour the buttercream with pineapple juice?

It looks delicious and I'd be more than happy if someone made me this lovely cake. X

Thank you so much all.

The recipe is as follows:
1 can pineapple rings
Glace cherry halves
A good drizzle of syrup - I used pancake syrup which darkens the sponge, but Golden syrup is nice too.

For the sponge I beat together 240g of butter and 240g caster sugar, until pale and fluffy.
weigh out 240g self raising flour.
Add 4 eggs, one at a time with a spoonful of the flour, whisking each time. Then sift in the rest of the flour, along with 1 tsp baking powder and 1 tsp vanilla. Fold together.

Create your pattern with the fruit in one lined tin, then drizzle over syrup level with the fruit.
Too with half of the cake batter. Bake for 30-40 minutes. You might have to cover with some foil halfway through.

Put the other half of the batter into another lined tin and bake for 20 minutes.

For the buttercream I used 200g butter and 250g icing sugar along with a spoon of vanilla and a tablespoon of water.

Then just construct when really cold.

Im really flattered people would ask for this. Thank you. And if you want to halve the mixture and just do the top layer; that’s delicious served straight from the oven with cream 😋

How lovely.

Oh I wish I had! Why didn’t I post last night!!!!!

Looks great 🍍

Looks perfect to me. No need to buy a cake.

its lovely and looks tasty too! I bet your husband is going to love it!

I feel like this is a really good example of people worrying about doing what they think they should do vs doing what people actually want to do. The dh does not want icing so op does what he asked for but then worries and stresses that it isn’t a ‘proper’ birthday cake. But it is because it is what the birthday haver asked for.

The daughter that likes Madeira cake - just let her have one! Nothing worse than you saying what you like and someone else saying it isn’t right or it’s not good enough or that you know better and making you feel embarrassed about what you like.

I am sure your husband and guests will love a homemade cake op and will have a great time.

Now I want a pineapple upside down cake! I'm going to the shop in a bit, am going to have to buy some tinned pineapple...

Lovely! My husband and son both hate birthday looking cakes with all the icing so would be super chuffed with this!

It looksAMAZING, I want a slice now with a big blob of cream!

Love it.