To ask what to make as a ‘birthday cake’ for DH who doesn’t like cake?

[chillybeans]

I’d like to make DH a ‘birthday cake’ but he doesn’t like cake, so I suppose what I mean is a big baked treat we can sing happy birthday with before eating (and maybe stick a candle in!)

He likes all other baked goods - brownies, cookies, biscuits, pastries etc but I do normal batches of those all the time so would like to jazz it up a bit. He just doesn’t really rate cake. So I’m looking for a bit of a showstopper baking recipe that will impress him ... without being a cake

Any ideas?!

Brownie stack examples

You can stick candles in anything. My kids have had doughnuts, brownies, muffins and cake over the years. Just put candles in something he likes.

None of my DC like cake. So for birthdays we have done:
Pile of profiteroles
Pavlova
Giant rice crispy cake
Millionaires shortbread
Stacked pancakes layered with cream and fruit
Tarte Tatin

Plus, for my 40th, my mother in law gave me a cake made entirely of sweets, which I loved (I am a sucker(!) for sweets though, so this might not be for everybody).

Lemon meringue pie
I saw Lemon meringue pie being made on TV last week NO ONE makes lemon meringue pie as good as my Mum used to, so kind of have it on the brain at the moment.
A brownie sculpture (brownies piled on top of each other to create something interesting)

gateau st honore - despite the name it's not a cake, but puff pastry with profiteroles on top.

Biscuit/gingerbread house?

Gateau St Honore - the middle profiterole is just waiting for a birthday candle.
(or covid sensible, make an extra profiterole to serve on the side with a candle)

I am over invested in this.
I need cake.
NOW.

Oh my goodness there’s so many fab ideas! Thanks so much everyone... but now I want to make them all. I want to make blue cheese and walnut bread, and giant cookies and brownie stacks and lemon meringue pies...

I attempted a lemon meringue pie a few years ago and my meringue sank. Where did I go wrong? DH would love that as he loved citrusy things. Also tempted by a big brownie stack with lots of different flavours. Or a cheesecake... OPTIONS!!!!

Maybe I could do a dessert buffet... I’m getting carried away...

Cant believe no one has suggested birthday flon

Cheesecake brownie. It's got a layer of brownie on the bottom with cheesecake marbled onto the top layer. It looks and tastes fantastic and is quite simple to make.

Cornflake cake! My DS had a huge one for his 18th!

@chillybeans

Oh my goodness there’s so many fab ideas! Thanks so much everyone... but now I want to make them all. I want to make blue cheese and walnut bread, and giant cookies and brownie stacks and lemon meringue pies...

I attempted a lemon meringue pie a few years ago and my meringue sank. Where did I go wrong? DH would love that as he loved citrusy things. Also tempted by a big brownie stack with lots of different flavours. Or a cheesecake... OPTIONS!!!!

I make a big Easter egg brownie for DS2's Feb birthday every year. He always asks for it!

Basically its a tray bake brownie with half creme eggs and smashed up mini eggs baked into the top. It is really very nice.

I once made a giant pressed steak sandwich cake for someone - you make it and wrap it and weigh it down for a couple of days so it's all compressed and weird, and eat it sliced and chilled. It was amazing.

I would just do brownies. Pile them up and throw over some extra icing if you're feeling fancy!

My DH isn't fussed on cake, but loves a Pavlova.

Do people who don't like cake still like brownies? I always think of brownies as just dense cake?

Agree with giant Millies Cookie Cake.

A friend sent me one when my daughter was born. It was sickly but amazing. Also no baking for you! Bonus.

DH doesn't like sweet things so I made him a fried breakfast cake with tiers made from sausage meat, hash browns, sliced mushrooms, fried eggs, grilled tomatoes etc. It was amazing and served 8 people for brunch!

Cream egg brownies
Or white chocolate blondes

Mars bar Rice Krispie cake. 3 oz butter, 3 chopped full size Mars bars, stir until melted into thick chocolatey mixture, stir in loads of Rice Krispies and tip out into a lined brownie tin. Can decorate with sprinkles. Utterly delicious.

@MistyGreenAndBlue

Cant believe no one has suggested birthday flon

Haha misty that was my first thought.

Dd doesn't like cake either so for many years I have made her a giant choc chip cookie and decorated it with buttercream and sweeties.

Some great ideas here. Love the dessert buffet OP

@MistyGreenAndBlue

Cant believe no one has suggested birthday flon

Where do you live OP? - I'm sure it's an essential journey, happy to sample the buffet covid safe from your garden

My Mum's amazing lemon meringue came largely from very tart lemon curd. Very occasionally she's use a packet mix and it was easily detectable!

Agree on the birthday tiffin

quoted the wrong message - it was supposed to be the one by the OP above about making a desert buffet.

I don't need a cake, I need a partner who likes baking.
My lovely neighbours did bake me fresh sourdough when I had covid.