DH's 40th B'day cake - need ideas!!

[MadameCastafiore]

I will make him a little cake for his actual birthday but want to make one for his party - he likes chocolate cake and I need it to feed at lest 40 and not be royal iced as he doesn't like it - how can I make a cake that big, it be chocolate and look nice - I do bake often but not celebration cakes proper - like the ones cake makers make.

Nigella has a recipe for a lovely choclate one that I often dothat he loves but how do I make it feed 40, thought about doing 40 chocolate cup cakes but maybe that a bit naff!

are you willing to make 4 cakes?!

3 cakes

How many does Nigella's cake recipe claim to feed? Just scale it up to feed 40. If you have a good cake shop near you, you can hire unusual cake tins in letters and numbers for example, but also ones that make much bigger cakes. Saves you having to make four cakes.

Oooohhhh that is a good idea I can get a 4 and an 0 and then try and make the nigella one that big. We have a deli in the village so will go there tomorrow.

I was thinking more along the lines of a larger cake tin.. dh and I banned all cards with the dreaded numbers on when we both turned 40 :o

Mind you I could probably tolerate those blasted numbers if they were chocolate flavoured and filled with delicious gooey buttericing :o

I wasn't trying to be unhelpful - though I imagine you might have thought that! I sort of read your post super fast and I made a cake for my DP's 40th recently - I made 2 cakes which was enough for about 25 people and I have never ever had such praise!

Anyway head fairy's idea is good. If you make a bigger cake remember to increase cooking times and do the skewer in the middle thing to check if it is done.

I made one in a roasting tin for DH's 40th. As skyblue pink said, you will need to increase cooking time and also keep an eye on it, cover with foil so it cooks in the middle without burning round the outside.

Yes, one cake on top of the other will look amazing! Chocolate always a winner see this link - its for a wedding cake but same principal. You only want small portions squares are better.

www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/6417/orange-berry-wedding-cake

www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/4578/creating-your-wedding-cake

chocolate transfers look great see:

www.thecakedecoratingcompany.co.uk/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=198_157&products_id=1345

just nosing in here as in the process of organising a wedding cake myself..which Nigella recipe is it if you don't mind?

This one Reine is lovely always goes down a treat each birthday.

I do like the top link bacon - its a bit like the Lorraine whats her face one isn't it.

thank you for that..sorry I didn't spot that you'd posted..will definitely trial this one for wedding cake as imagine the sour cream helps it keep fairly well?what chocolate do you use for the icing..i've been trialing ganaches and G and B made it on the bitter side(I like but not for most)

Nigella's choc Guinness cake is lush & very easy, if he likes a pint of the black stuff

have just made your Nigella cake madam and served with homemade dulce de leche icecream..fantastic!(used half milk/half plain choc for icing though)

jetli have done the Guiness cake previously and keeps well,tastes great and keeps shape well for decorating.