Need help with DS's birthday cake, please.

[winnybella]

He'll be 9 in a week. I usually buy a cake, but this year, due to some circumstances, I really want to make this day special for him.

He doesn't like dark chocolate. Milk choc would be fine.

He also loves strawberries and cream.

Do you know any recipes, pretty please?

I've never made a proper b'day cake before so nothing too complicated, if possible.

TA

Plains victoria sponge, with jam and whipped cream in the middle, and strawberries and cream to decorate.

IME it doesn't need to be too fancy to impress. Make it with love, and he will appreciate it.

I second a simple Victoria Sponge with cream and strawberries tbh. I have made all sorts of cakes and the kids always love the sponge the best. Do you need a recipe?

Yes, please

I started googling for fraisier, but I would have to get lots of stuff I haven't got, so something simple but still with strawberries in would be lovely.

Victoria Sponge

Heat oven to 180 C
Line 2 8 inch circular loose bottomed cake tins and grease them.

Cream 8oz butter with 8oz sugar and a teaspoon of vanilla extract.
Beat in 4 eggs.
Beat in 8 oz self raising flour

Spoon into both cake tins - even amount in each.
Bake for approx 20 mins - till springs back when middle is pressed.
Cool for 5 mins then run knife round the edges and turn out.
Cool fully.

Spread one side of cake with good quality strawberry jam or sliced strawberries. Add a layer of whipped double cream (you can add vanilla extract and a teaspoon of sugar to this if you have a sweet tooth). Place the second cake on top.
Decorate by sieving icing sugar over the top or with cream and strawberries.

Thank you.

But I'm in France and I have never seen a SR flour here. Can I use regular flour and just add baking powder?

And do you think I could top the cake with almond pate-hmm, not sure what you call it in English- you know, the thing they put on top of b'day cakes or would it be too heavy and the whole thing would collapse?

Yes but I am not positive of the amount. I suspect about 2 teaspoons but really don't know for sure. I suspect that is a new thread!

Marzipan? That should work ok.

Not sure about marzipan, strawberries and cream myself tbh though.

2 tsp baking powder in 8 oz of flour is correct.

I am also not conviced by the idea of marzipan on a sponge (more common on fruit cakes). Can you get ready to roll icing? That would be better if you want the cake covered @properly and is easy to use.

Thanks all.Hmm. The fraisier is similar in that it's sponge, but you make mousseline cream instead of just whipped cream- it seems that it's quite complicated to make it set properly. Hmm. And you're supposed to soak the sponge in kirsh which I don't have etc etc.

I like the idea of sponge, strawberries and cream, sponge and topped artfully with more cream and few strawberries.

But then where do I put the candles?

The freshness of the cream and strawberries should be enough really - sometimes less is more.

Thanks Jas - that is reassuring.

And also I seem to remember reading on here that sponge is not so easy to make: there is asecret to the perfect sponge, isn't there? Or am I imagining it?

True, true. I'm slightly obsessing here.

Thank you

Free range eggs are supposed to make better sponges.(Not all on their own unfortunately :) )

I would fold the flour in rather than beat.

I just use an electric hand whisk and mine turn out fine. I fold muffins though. Don't know why I do them differently. Free range eggs do work better, and if you can get them from a friend who keeps chickens then they are even better (and more orange)

Great. Thanks.